India's coffee exports up 9.36 per cent in 2016-17

New Delhi: Coffee exports from India, Asia’s third-largest producer and exporter of coffee, rose by 9.36 per cent to 3,76,873 tonne in the marketing year that ended September 2017, buoyed by higher global prices, according to state-run Coffee Board.

The country's coffee shipments stood at 3,44,613 tonne in the 2015-16 marketing year.

"Two factors contributed for higher shipments in 2016-17. Firstly, there was enough domestic supply to meet the export demand as the domestic output was record in 2015-16. Also, global prices were better," a senior Board official told PTI.

As a result, coffee exports remained robust both in terms of volume and value in 2016-17, he said. According to the Board data, the export value realisation rose 7.31 per cent to Rs 1,64,284 per tonne of coffee in 2016 -17 from Rs 1,53,089 tonnne in the year-ago period.

Total coffee exports in value terms rose to Rs 6,191.43 crore from Rs 5,275 crore in the said period, it added. The domestic supply was adequate as the output was record 3.48 lakh tonne in the 2015-16 crop year.

Normally, robusta variety comprises 70 per cent of the total coffee exports, while the rest is arabica coffee. Major export destinations are Italy, Germany, Turkey, Russian Federation and Belgium, among others.