Coffee production in India
Coffee plantation in India
Coffee production in India is dominated in the hill tracts of
South Indian states, with the state of
Karnataka accounting 53% followed by
Kerala 28% and
Tamil Nadu 11% of production of 8,200
tonnes. Indian coffee is said to be the finest coffee grown in the shade rather than direct sunlight anywhere in the world.
[1] There are approximately 250,000 coffee growers in India; 98% of them are small growers.
[2]
As of 2009, the production of coffee in India was only 4.5% of the
total production in the world. Almost 80% of the country's coffee
production is exported.
[3] Of that which is exported, 70% is bound for
Germany,
Russian federation,
Spain,
Belgium,
Slovenia,
United States,
Japan,
Greece,
Netherlands and
France, and Italy accounts for 29% of the exports. Most of the export is shipped through the
Suez Canal.
[1]
Coffee is grown in three regions of India with Karnataka, Kerala and
Tamil Nadu forming the traditional coffee growing region of
South India, followed by the new areas developed in the non-traditional areas of
Andhra Pradesh and
Orissa in the eastern coast of the country and with a third region comprising the states of
Assam,
Manipur,
Meghalaya,
Mizoram,
Tripura,
Nagaland and
Arunachal Pradesh of
Northeastern India, popularly known as “Seven Sister States of India".
[4]
Indian coffee, grown mostly in southern India under monsoon rainfall
conditions, is also termed as “Indian monsooned coffee". Its flavour is
defined as: "The best Indian coffee reaches the flavour characteristics
of
Pacific coffees, but at its worst it is simply bland and uninspiring”.
[5] The four well known varieties of coffee grown are the
Arabica,
robusta, the first variety that was introduced in the
Baba Budan Giri hill ranges of Karnataka in the 17th century
[6] marketed over the years under the brand names of Kent and S.795.
[edit] History
Coffee Plantation in Araku
Coffee growing has a long history that is attributed first to
Ethiopia and then to
Arabia, mostly to
Yemen. However, the earliest history is traced to 875 AD according to the
Bibliotheque Nationale in
Paris. The original source is also traced to
Abyssinia from where it was brought to Arabia in the 15th century. The
Indian context started with an
Indian Muslim saint, Baba Budan,
[2][7] while on a pilgrimage to
Mecca, smuggled seven coffee beans (by tying it around his waist) from Yemen to
Mysore in India and planted them on the
Chandragiri Hills (1,829 metres (6,001 ft)), now named after the
saint as
Baba Budan Giri (‘Giri’ means “hill”) in
Chikkamagaluru district. It was considered an illegal act to take out green coffee seed out of Arabia. As number seven is a sacrosanct number in
Islamic religion, the saint’s act of carrying seven coffee beans was considered a religious act.
[6]
This was the beginning of coffee industry in India, and in particular,
in the then state of Mysore, now part of the Karnataka State. This was
an achievement of considerable bravery of Baba Budan considering the
fact that Arabs had exercised strict control over its export to other
countries by not permitting coffee beans to be exported in any form
other than as in a roasted or boiled form to prevent
germination.
[8]
Systematic cultivation soon followed Baba Budan’s first planting of
the seeds, in 1670, mostly by private owners and the first plantation
was established in 1840 around Bab Budan Giri and its surrounding hills
in Karnataka. It spread to other areas of
Wynad (now part of Kerala), the
Shevaroys and
Nilgiris in Tamil Nadu. With
British colonial
presence taking strong roots in India in the mid 19th century, coffee
plantations flourished for export. The culture of coffee thus spread to
South India rapidly.
Initially,
Arabica was popular. However, as result of serious infestation caused to this variety by
coffee rust, an alternative robust variety of coffee, appropriately named as
robusta and another hybrid between
liberica and Arabica, a rust-tolerant hybrid variety of
Arabica
tree became popular. This is the most common variety of coffee that is
grown in the country with Karnataka alone accounting for 70% of
production of this variety.
[7][8]
In 1942, the government decided to regulate the export of coffee and
protect the small and marginal farmers by passing the Coffee VII Act of
1942, under which the
Coffee Board of India got established, operated by the
Ministry of Commerceand Industry.
[2]
The government dramatically increased their control of coffee exports
in India and pooled the coffees of its growers. In doing so, they
reduced the incentives for farmers to produce high-quality coffee, so
quality became stagnant.
[2]
Over the last 50 years, coffee production in India has grown by over 15 percent.
[9]
From 1991, economic liberalization took place in India, and the
industry took full advantage of this and cheaper labour costs of
production.
[10]
In 1993, a monumental Internal Sales Quota (ISQ) made the first step in
liberalizing the coffee industry by entitling coffee farmers to sell
30% of their production within India.
[2]
This was further amended in 1994 when the Free Sale Quota (FSQ)
permitted large and small scale growers to sell between 70% and 100% of
their coffee either domestically or internationally.
[2]
A final amendment in September 1996 saw the liberalization of coffee
for all growers in the country and a freedom to sell their produce
wherever they wished.
[2]
[edit] Production
[edit] Background
The main coffee producing states of India
Like in
Ceylon,
coffee production in India declined rapidly from the 1870s and was
massively outgrown by the emerging tea industry. The devastating
coffee rust
affected the output of coffee to the point that the costs of production
saw coffee plantations in many parts replaced with tea plantations.
[11]
However, the coffee industry was not as affected by this disease as in
Ceylon, and although overshadowed in scale by the tea industry, India
was still one of the strongholds of coffee production in the
British Empire along with
British Guiana.
In the period 1910–12, the area under coffee plantation was reported to
be 203,134 acres (82,205 ha) in the southern states, and was mostly
exported to
England.
In the 1940s,
Indian filter coffee, a sweet milky coffee made from dark roasted
coffee beans (70%–80%) and
chicory (20%–30%) became a commercial success. It was especially popular in the southern states of
Andhra Pradesh,
Karnataka,
Kerala and
Tamil Nadu. The most commonly used coffee beans are
Arabica and
Robusta grown in the hills of
Karnataka (
Kodagu,
Chikkamagaluru and
Hassan),
Kerala (
Malabar region) and
Tamil Nadu (
Nilgiris District,
Yercaud and
Kodaikanal).
Glenlorna Tata Coffee Estate, Coorg, India
Coffee production in India grew rapidly in the 1970s, increasing from
68,948 tonnes in 1971–72 to 120,000 tonnes in 1979–80 and grew by 4.6
percent in the 1980s.
[12] It grew by more than 30 percent in the 1990s, rivalled only by
Uganda in the growth of production.
[13][14] By 2007, organic coffee was grown in about 2,600 hectares (6,400 acres) with an estimated production of about 1700 tonnes.
[15] According to the 2008 statistics published by the
Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO), the area of coffee green harvested in India was 342,000 hectares (850,000 acres),
[16] with yield estimates of 7,660 hectogram/ha,
[17] forming a total production estimate of 262,000 tonnes.
[18]
There are approximately 250,000 coffee growers in India; 98% of them are small growers.
[2]
Over 90 percent of them are small farms consisting of 10 acres (4.0 ha)
or fewer. According to published statistics for 2001–2002, the total
area under coffee in India was 346,995 hectares (857,440 acres) with
small holdings of 175,475 accounting for 71.2%. The area under large
holding of more than 100 hectares (250 acres) was 31,571 hectares
(78,010 acres) (only 9.1 % of all holdings) only under 167 holdings. The
area under less than 2 hectares (4.9 acres) holdings was 114,546
hectares (283,050 acres) (33% of the total area) among 138,209 holders.
[2]
| Size of holdings |
Numbers (2001–2002) |
Area of holding |
| Less than 10 ha 10 hectares (25 acres) |
175,475 |
247,087 hectares (610,570 acres) |
| Between 10 and 100 ha and above |
2833 |
99,908 hectares (246,880 acres) |
| Total |
178,308 |
346,995 hectares (857,440 acres) |
The most important areas of production are in the southern
Indian states of
Karnataka,
Kerala, and
Tamil Nadu
which accounted for over 92 percent of India's coffee production in the
2005–2006 growing season. In this same season, India exported over
440,000 pounds (200,000 kg) of coffee, with over 25 percent destined for
Italy. Traditionally, India has been a noted producer of
Arabica coffee but in the last decade
robusta
beans are growing substantially due to high yields, which now account
for over 60 percent of coffee produced in India. The domestic
consumption of coffee increased from 50,000 tonnes in 1995 to 94,400
tonnes in 2008.
[19]
According to the statistics provided by the Coffee Board of India,
the estimated production of Robusta and Arabica coffee for the "Post
Monsoon Estimation 2009–10" and "Post Blossom Estimation 2010–11" in
different states accounted for a total of 308,000 tonnes and 289,600
tonnes, respectively.
[20] As of 2010, between 70% and 80% of Indian grown coffee is exported overseas.
[9][21]
[edit] Growing conditions
All coffees grown in India are grown in shade and commonly with two tiers of shade. Often inter-cropped with spices such as
cardamom,
cinnamon,
clove, and
nutmeg, the coffees gain aromatics from the inter-cropping, storage, and handling functions.
[22] Growing altitudes range between 1,000 m (3,300 ft) to 1,500 m (4,900 ft)
above sea level for
Arabica (premier coffee), and 500 m (1,600 ft) to 1,000 m (3,300 ft) for
Robusta (though of lower quality, it is robust to environment conditions).
[2][15] Ideally, both
Arabica and
Robusta are planted in well drained soil conditions that favour rich organic matter that is slightly acidic (pH 6.0–6.5).
[15]
However, India's coffees tend to be moderately acidic which can lead to
either a balanced and sweet taste, or a listless and inert one.
[22] Slopes of
Arabica tend to be gentle to moderate, while
Robusta slopes are gentle to fairly level.
[15]
- Blooming and maturing
Irrigated coffee plantation
Blooming is the time when coffee plants bloom with white flowers
which last for about 3–4 days (termed "evanescent" period) before they
mature into seeds. When coffee plantations are in full bloom it is a
delightful sight to watch. The time period between blooming and maturing
of the fruit varies appreciably with the variety and the climate; for
the
Arabica, it is about seven months, and for the
Robusta, about nine months. The fruit is gathered by hand when it is fully ripe and red-purple in colour.
[23][24][25]
- Climatic conditions
Ideal climatic conditions to grow coffee are related to temperature and rainfall; temperatures in the range of
73 °F (23 °C) and
82 °F (28 °C) with rainfall incidence in the range of 60–80 inches (1.5–2.0 m) followed by a dry spell of 2–3 months suit the
Arabica
variety. Cold temperatures closer to freezing conditions are not
suitable to grow coffee. Where the rainfall is less than 40 inches
(1.0 m), providing
irrigation
facilities is essential. In the tropical region of the south Indian
hills, these conditions prevail leading to coffee plantations
flourishing in large numbers.
[26] Relative humidity for
Arabica ranges 70–80% while for
Robusta it ranges 80–90%.
[15]
Cobras on an Indian coffee plantation
- Coffee diseases
The common disease to which the coffee plants are subjected to in India is on account of
fungus growth. This fungus is called the
Hemileia vastatrix, an
endophytous
that grows within the matter of the leaf; effective cure has not been
discovered to eliminate this. The second type of disease is known as the
coffee rot, which has caused severe damages during the rainy season, particularly to plantations in Karnataka.
Pellicularia kole-rota
is the name given to this rot or rust, which turns the leaves into
black colour due to the coverage by a slimy gelatinous film. This causes
the coffee leaves and the cluster of coffee berries to drop off to the
ground.
[7] Snakes such as
cobras can also cause a nuisance to coffee plantations in India.
[edit] Processing
Processing of coffee in India is accomplished using two methods, dry
processing and wet processing. Dry processing is the traditional method
of drying in the sun which is favoured for its flavour producing
characteristics. In the wet processing method, coffee beans are fomented
and washed, which is the preferred method for improved yields. As to
the wet processing, the beans are subject to cleaning to segregate
defective seeds. The beans of different varieties and sizes are then
blended to derive the best flavour. The next procedure is to roast
either through roasters or individual roasters. Then the roasted coffee
is ground to appropriate sizes.
[1]
[edit] Varieties
The four main botanical cultivars of India's coffee include Kent,
S.795, Cauvery, and Selection 9. In the 1920s, the earliest variety of
Arabica grown in India was named
Kent(s)[15] after the Englishman L.R. Kent, a planter of the Doddengudda Estate in Mysore.
[27] Probably the most commonly planted Arabica in India and Southeast Asia is S.795,
[28] known for its balanced cup and subtle flavour notes of
mocca. Released during the 1940s, it is a cross between the Kents and S.288 varieties.
[28]
Cauvery, commonly known as Catimor, is a derivative of a cross between
Caturra with Hybrido-de-Timor, while the award-winning Selection 9 is a
derivative from the crossing between Tafarikela and Hybrido-de-Timor.
[15] The dwarf and semi-dwarf hybrids of
San Ramon and
Caturra were developed to meet the demands for high density plantings.
[29] The Devamachy hybrid (
C. arabica and
C. canephora) was first discovered around 1930 in India.
[30]
The Indian Coffee Association's weekly auction includes such
varieties as Arabica Cherry, Robusta Cherry, Arabica Plantation, and
Robusta Parchment.
[31]
Regional logos and brands include: Anamalais, Araku valley,
Bababudangiris, Biligiris, Brahmaputra, Chikmagalur, Coorg, Manjarabad,
Nilgiris, Pulneys, Sheveroys, Travancore, and Wayanad. There are also
several specialty brands such as Monsooned Malabar AA, Mysore Nuggets
Extra Bold, and Robusta Kaapi Royale.
[15]
- Organic coffee
Organic coffee
is produced with synthetic agro-chemicals and plant protection methods.
A certification is essential by the accrediting agency for such coffee
to market it (popular forms are of regular, decaffeinated, flavoured and
instant coffee variety) as such since they are popular in Europe,
United States and Japan. The Indian terrain and climatic conditions
provide the advantages required for the growth of such coffee in deep
and fertile forest soils under the two tier mixed shade using cattle
manure, composting and manual weeding coupled with the horticultural
operations practiced in its various coffee plantations; small holdings
is another advantage for such a variety of coffee. In spite of all these
advantages, the certified organic coffee holdings in India, as of 2008,
(there are 20 accredited certification agencies in India) was only in
an area of 2,600 hectares (6,400 acres) with production estimated at
1700 tonnes. In order to promote growth of such coffee, the Coffee
Board, based on field experiments, surveys and case studies has evolved
many packages for adoption, supplemented with information guidelines and
technical documents.
[4]
[edit] Research and development
Coffee research and development efforts are well organized in India through its
Coffee Research Institute, which is considered the premier research station in
South East Asia. It is under the control of the Coffee Board of India, an autonomous body, under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry,
Government of India,
which was set up under an Act of the Parliament with the objective of
promoting “research, development, extension, quality up gradation,
market information, and the domestic and external promotion of Indian
coffee.”
[32] It was established near
Balehonnur in
Chikmagalur district
of Karnataka, in the heartland of coffee plantations. Prior to
establishing this institute, a temporary research unit was established
in 1915 at
Koppa
primarily to evolve solutions to crop infestation by leaf diseases.
This was followed by the field research station established by the then
Government of Mysore,
titled "Mysore Coffee Experimental Station," in 1925. This was handed
over to the Coffee Board which was formed in 1942, and regular research
started at this station from 1944. Dr L. C. Coleman is credited as the
founder of coffee research in India.
[33]
The Coffee Board of India is an autonomous body, functioning under the
Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Government of India. The Board serves
as a friend, philosopher and guide of the coffee industry in India. Set
up under an Act of the Parliament of India in the year 1942, the Board
focuses on research, development, extension, quality up gradation,
market information, and the domestic and external promotion of Indian
coffee.
Chikmagalur district, the headquarters of the Coffee Board of India, shown within the state of Karnataka
The research activities covered by the Institute constitute research in seven disciplines such as
Agronomy,
Soil Science and
Agricultural Chemistry,
Botany,
Entomology/
Nematology,
Plant Physiology,
Biotechnology
and Post Harvest Technology with the basic aim of increasing
productivity and quality of coffee grown in India. The institute has 60
scientific and technical personnel involved in research activities. The
institute has a well established farm land of 130.94 hectares
(323.6 acres) for carrying out crop research, out of which 80.26
hectares (198.3 acres) are dedicated to coffee research (51.32 hectares
(126.8 acres) of arabica and 28.94 hectares (71.5 acres) of robusta), 10
hectares (25 acres) are used for growing CXR, 12.38 hectares
(30.6 acres) are apportioned for nurseries, roads and buildings, and the
balance area of 12.38 hectares (30.6 acres) is a reserve area for
future expansion. The research farm has a well established network of
check dams that provides a regulated water source to the plantations
which offer a wide range of shade tree species under which coffee is
grown, and
germplasm
and exotic material from all the coffee growing countries including
Ethiopia which is known as the home land of Arabica. In addition, crop
diversification with crops such as
pepper and
areca are also part of income generating programmes of the institute.
[33]
Part of the institute includes a research laboratory to carry out
research in identified disciplines, as well as a stocked library with
books and periodicals, not only on coffee but also on other crops.
Training of personnel is an important activity of the institute. The
training unit of the institute conducts regular training programs for
estate managers and supervisory personnel of the coffee plantations and
also for the extension officers of the Coffee Board. Recognised by
UNDP and
USDA, the training unit of the institute is providing training to foreign nationals on coffee cultivation in which personnel from
Ethiopia,
Vietnam,
Sri Lanka,
Nepal, and
Nestle Singapore have been trained.
[33]
In addition, a Plant Tissue Culture & Biotechnology division, established in Mysore, is carrying out exclusive research in
bio-technology and
molecular biology
to supplement/complement the conventional breeding programs in
developing high yielding, pest and disease resistant varieties. The
Coffee Board of India maintains a Quality Control Division in its head
office in Bangalore which plays an active role in collaborating with
other research disciplines in upgrading the “quality of coffee in the
cup.”
[33]
[edit] Regional research stations
To cover research specific to each coffee growing region covering
different agro-climatic conditions, the following five research stations
are fully functional under the overall control of the Central Coffee
Research Institute.
[33][34] Coffee Research Sub-station (CRSS), Chettalli in
Coorg
district of Karnataka, was established in 1946. The sub-station has a
well equipped laboratory and covers an area of 131 hectares (320 acres)
out of which 80 hectares (200 acres) is exclusive to coffee research
activities.
[34] Regional Coffee Research Station (RCRS), R.V. Nagar in
Visakhapatnam district of Andhra Pradesh also covers the
Orissa
on the eastern coast. The research station, established in 1976 to
cater to the development of coffee in non-traditional areas has an area
of 30 hectares (74 acres) under coffee plantation. The objective of
introducing coffee in this area was to wean away the tribal population
from growing crops under the 'Podu' cultivation (
shifting cultivation)
in the forest areas, not only to preserve the forest ecology but also
to improve the economic condition of the tribal people of the region.
[34] Regional Coffee Research Station (RCRS), Chundale village in
Wayanad
district of Kerala was established primarily to develop appropriate
technologies to suit the region where robusta is the dominant crop.
Kerala is reckoned as the second largest coffee producing state in the
country with robusta variety of coffee. The station covers an area of
116 hectares (290 acres) with 30 hectares (74 acres) of farm with an
adequate laboratory support for research.
[34] Regional Coffee Research Station (RCRS), Thandigudi in
Dindigul
district of Tamil Nadu. The research station was established with the
sole aim of evolving suitable practices for the cultivation of coffee
area in Tamil Nadu which receives major rainfall (but scanty) during the
Northeast monsoon,
unlike the other regions of the country. This station is spread over an
area of 12.5 hectares (31 acres) including a research farm of 6.5
hectares (16 acres) with laboratory facilities.
[34] Regional Coffee Research Station (RCRS), Diphu in
Karbi Anglon
district of Assam was established to support coffee plantations which
were established in the Northeast region in 1980 to provide an
alternate, economically viable agricultural practice to the shifting or
jhum cultivation,
widely practiced by the tribals in the forested hills, which was a
cause of concern to preserve the ecology of the region. This regional
station is spread over an area of 25 hectares (62 acres).
[34]
[edit] Popularity
The
India Coffee House chain was first started by the Coffee Board in early 1940s, during
British rule.
In the mid 1950s, the Board closed down the Coffee Houses, due to a
policy change. However, the discharged employees then took over the
branches, under the leadership of the then communist leader
A. K. Gopalan and renamed the network as Indian Coffee House. The first Indian Coffee Workers Co-Operative Society was established in
Bangalore on 19 August 1957. The first Indian Coffee House was opened in
New Delhi on 27 October 1957. Gradually, the Indian Coffee House chain expanded across the country, with branches in
Pondicherry,
Thrissur,
Lucknow,
Nagpur,
Jabalpur,
Mumbai,
Kolkata,
Tellicherry and
Pune
by the end of 1958. These coffee houses in the country are run by 13
cooperative societies, which are governed by managing committees elected
from the employees. A federation of the co-operative societies is the
national umbrella organisation to lead these societies.
[35][36]
However, now Coffee bars have gained in popularity with other chains such as Barista;
Café Coffee Day is the country's largest coffee bar chain.
[37] In the Indian home, coffee consumption is greater in south India than elsewhere.
[38]
Indian coffee has a good reputation in
Europe for its less acidic and sweetness of character and thus widely used in
Espresso Coffee, though
Americans prefer
African and
South American coffee, which is a more acidic and brighter variety.
[6]
Selection 9 was the winner of the Fine Cup Award for best Arabica at the 2002 Flavour of India – Cupping Competition.
[15]
In 2004, Indian Coffee with the brand name "Tata Coffee" had the
distinction of winning three gold medals at the Grand Cus De Café
Competition held in
Paris.
[6]
[edit] Gallery
-
-
Coffee on Valentine's Day
-
-
