WORLD
COFFEE CONFERENCE - AGRICULTURE
News: Global coffee world descends on
Bengaluru at WCC
What's
in the news?
●
5th World Coffee Conference (WCC) held for
the first time in Asia in Bengaluru.
Key
takeaways:
●
Every four to five years, the
International Coffee Organization holds a high-level World Coffee Conference to
enable discussion around critical topics for the global coffee sector.
International
Coffee Organization (ICO):
●
The International Coffee Organization
(ICO) was established in 1963 under the aegis of the United Nations and
following the approval of the first International Coffee Agreement in 1962.
Coffee
varieties:
●
The two
main varieties of coffee viz., Arabica (49% of the area) and Robusta (51% of
the area) are grown in India.
●
Arabica
is a mild coffee, but the beans being more aromatic, it has a higher market
value compared to Robusta beans.
●
Robusta has more strength and is,
therefore, used in making various blends.
●
Arabica
is grown in higher altitudes than Robusta.
●
The cool and equable temperature, ranging
between 15°C to 25°C, is suitable for Arabica while for Robusta, a hot and
humid climate with a temperature ranging from 20°C to 30°C is suitable.
●
The harvest of Arabica takes place between
November to January, while for Robusta it is December to February.
Conditions
of Growth:
●
The hot
and humid climate - Temperature between 15°C and 28 °C.
●
Rainfall
from 150 to 250 cm.
●
Well-drained, rich friable loams
containing a good deal of humus and minerals like iron and calcium are ideal
for coffee cultivation.
●
Dry
weather is necessary at the time of ripening of the berries.
●
The crop is not tolerant to
○
Frost
and snowfall - Need of high temperature above 30°C and
strong sunshine (Hence, generally grown under shady trees on Northern and
Eastern aspects of Hill).
○
Prolonged drought and stagnant water
(Hence, grown on hill slopes at elevations from 600 to 1,600 metres above sea
level).
Potential
areas of Coffee Cultivation in India:
●
Coorg
Arabica coffee - grown specifically in the region of
Kodagu district in Karnataka.
●
Wayanad
Robusta coffee - grown specifically in the region of
Wayanad district which is situated on the eastern portion of Kerala.
●
Chikmagalur
Arabica coffee - grown specifically in the region of
Chikmagalur district which is situated in the Deccan plateau, falling under the
Malnad region of Karnataka.
●
Araku
Valley Arabica coffee - can be described as coffee from the
hilly tracks of Visakhapatnam district of Andhra Pradesh and Odisha region
grown at an elevation of 900-1100m Mean Sea Level (MSL). This variety is
produced by the tribals, who follow an organic approach in which they emphasise
management practices involving substantial use of organic manures, green
manuring and organic pest management practices.
●
Bababudangiris
Arabica coffee - grown specifically in the birthplace of
coffee in India. The region is situated in the central portion of Chikmagalur
district. Selectively hand-picked and processed by natural fermentation, the
coffee cup exhibits acidity, mild flavour and striking aroma with a note of
chocolate. This coffee is also called ‘high grown coffee’ as it slowly ripens
in the mild climate thereby acquiring a special taste and aroma.
Production:
●
Karnataka
(54%), Kerala (19%) and Tamil Nadu (8%) are largest coffee producing states
●
India is the eighth largest exporter
of coffee by volume.
●
India is the only country in the world
where the entire coffee cultivation is grown under shade, hand-picked and sun
dried.
Coffee
Board:
●
The authority Coffee Board of India was
established through a Coffee Act VII of
1942.
●
It is under the administrative control of
the Ministry of Commerce and Industry.
●
The Board comprises 33 members including
the Chairman, who is the Chief Executive and appointed by the Government of
India.
●
HQ: Bengaluru
●
The Board has a Central Coffee Research Institute at Balehonnur (Karnataka).
Coffee
Exports:
●
Exports
stood at 3.93 lakh tonnes in 2021.
●
In value terms, coffee export was higher
at ₹8,762.47 crore in 2022 as against ₹6,984.67 crore in the previous year.
●
India ships both Robusta and Arabica
varieties, besides instant coffee.
●
Italy,
Germany and Russia are the major export destinations for Indian coffee.