The Hindu Business Line : Coffee Board cuts output estimates

COFFEE crop for October 2004-September 2005 season, according to post monsoon estimates, is pegged at 2.908 lakh tonnes, six per cent higher than previous year's crop. However, the estimate is lower by 1,600 tonnes over the initial estimate of 2.924 lakh tonnes.

The decrease over initial estimates is attributed to lower output of arabica, affected by the stem borer menace in Kodagu and Hassan in Karnataka. The arabica output is estimated at 1.1325 lakh tonnes, a decline of some 3,550 tonnes. The robusta output is estimated at 1.7755 lakh tonnes, an increase of some 1,950 tonnes.

The decline in arabicas is compensated by increase in robustas, thus reducing the overall difference between the blossom and the post-monsoon estimates, said a Coffee Board release. Apart from the increased incidence of stem borer, the dropping of berries due to heavy monsoon in some of the areas also contributed to the decline in arabica output.

The output in Karnataka is estimated at 2.108 lakh tonnes with arabicas at 92,050 tonnes and robustas at 1.1877 lakh tonnes.

Output in Kerala is pegged at 55,920 tonnes marginally lower by 1,080 tonnes from the previous estimate of 57,000 tonnes.

In Tamil Nadu, it is expected to decline by 1,345 tonnes at 19,755 tonnes.