Coffee exports set new record

BANGALORE: The latest data shows that India’s coffee exports for fiscal 2006-07 could touch 2,58,547 tonnes, surpassing the previous best of 2,46,908 tonnes in 2000-01. The Coffee Board, which releases shipment-permits for exports, says the total earnings will cross Rs 2,000 crore, around $ 450 million, the fourth-highest ever, the highest being $ 477 for 1997-98.

While shipment-permits are released till the end of the last working day of the fiscal year, that is March 30, the exporters take a few weeks to submit proof-of-shipment documents. The trend over the last few years is that the figures for permits released roughly tallies with the shipment-proof documents.

Compared with the previous fiscal of 2005-06 when 2,01,555 tonnes were shipped out, India’s coffee exports for this year are seen to be up 29% in quantum. This year’s value of Rs 2,000 crore could be up almost 33%, compared with Rs 1,510 crore for the previous fiscal. The reason for the surge in value for this fiscal is because per-tonne realisations have averaged Rs 79,895, the highest for the past eight years since 1999-2000.

Italy, Russia and Germany will again be the three top importing markets for coffee exported from India. Belgium has emerged as the fourth biggest market for Indian coffee the first time ever.Out of the 258,547 tonnes exported this fiscal (201,555 tonnes for 05-06), the break-up is 229,495 tonnes of Indian coffee (168,161 tonnes) and 29,052 of re-exports (33,394).