Coffee Board sees 3.6% rise in crop output in 2012-13

KOCHI: The Coffee Board has estimated the post-blossom coffee crop for 2012-13 at 3,25,300 tonne, an increase of 3.6% over the final estimate of the previous year at 3,14,000 tonne.

The Arabica production is pegged at 1,04,000 tonne and Robusta at 2,21,300 tonne with both showing an increase over the output in 2011-12. Arabica is up by 2,500 tonne (2.46%) while Robusta is higher by 8,800 tonne (4.14%).

The gain in production has mainly come from Karnataka -- 13,860 tonne -- while non-traditional regions produced 1,460 tonne more. Kerala has shown a decline of 3,100 tonne and Tamil Nadu a fall of 910 tonne compared with the estimates of 2011-12.

According to the board, favourable weather conditions like well-distributed rainfall have helped in moisture retention for a longer period which aided production in the main growing region of Karnataka.

Blossom showers have been normal in almost all the coffee growing zones, except in some pockets.

The final crop estimate for coffee production for 2011-12, calculated by the board at 3,14,000 tonne, showed a marginal decline of 6,000 tonne (1.88%) over the previous monsoon estimate. Arabica production at 1,01,500 tonne fell by 2.15% while Robusta crop slid by 1.75% to 2,12,500 tonne.