According to Statista, India is the sixth-biggest coffee producer globally, trailing behind Brazil, Vietnam, Colombia, Indonesia, Ethiopia, and Honduras. Lately, there’s been a growing focus on the health perks of South Indian coffee blends, especially pointing out the positive aspects of including chicory and enjoying coffee with milk.

About Coffee Production

• Most of the coffee we drink comes from two main types – Arabica and Robusta.
• Coffee plants are a bit picky about where they grow. They like it hot and humid, with temperatures between 15°C and 28°C.
• Coffee plants are like the Goldilocks of rainfall – they want it just right. They thrive with 150 to 250 cm of rainfall.
• These plants prefer well-drained, loamy soil that’s rich in humus (organic matter) and minerals like iron and calcium.
• Coffee plants are a bit shy. They like to grow under the shade of other trees.
• When the coffee berries are ripening, they like a bit of a dry spell. It’s like they’re telling the rain, “Not right now, please!”
• Coffee is like a mountain lover. It’s often found on hill slopes, chilling at elevations between 600 to 1,600 meters above sea level.
• In India, coffee is a big deal in Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, and Odisha. Karnataka is like the coffee capital, producing more than 70% of the total coffee output. They’re basically the coffee kings!

Facts

• Karnataka is like the coffee powerhouse of India, contributing a whopping 80% to the country’s total coffee production.
• Picture this: there are over three lakh small and medium coffee farmers in India, making the coffee scene quite diverse.
• Globally, India proudly holds the 6th spot among 80 coffee-producing countries. The country is like a coffee connoisseur’s dream, with top-notch arabica and robusta varieties.
• Down south is where the magic happens – Karnataka takes the lead with 54%, followed by Kerala at 19%, and Tamil Nadu at 8%. It’s like a coffee lover’s paradise in these states!
• Did you know? Almost 70% of India’s coffee takes a trip overseas, with European and Asian markets sipping on our brew.
• Imagine the lush rainforests of the Western Ghats in South India – that’s the traditional home of Indian coffee. Chikmagalur, Kodagu, Wayanad, Shevaroy Hills, and the Nilgiris are like the VIP seats for coffee cultivation.
• Here’s a unique fact: India stands out as the only country where every bit of coffee is grown under the cool shade, hand-picked, and left to sunbathe for drying.

Decoding Production Trends

The following are the production trends of coffee industry in India: Coffee Production in India (2018 – July 2023)

Challenges

The coffee industry in India is grappling with a few significant hurdles:

• Climate Change: Erratic weather conditions and the increase in extreme weather events are threatening coffee yield and quality.
• Pests and Diseases: The outbreak of pests like the White Stem Borer and diseases such as leaf rust are detrimental to coffee crops.
• Price Fluctuations: The volatile nature of international coffee prices can have an adverse impact on growers’ income.

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