India is a leading country in the world in terms of coffee production and stands among top 10 coffee producing countries in the world. The coffee grown in India is of one of the finest qualities in the world, which is grown in the shade.
Coffee Production is an important source of employment in India and more than 2.5 Lakh coffee growers are present in India. In the last financial year, i.e. 2014-15, the total coffee produced by India was 3.27 Lakh Metric Tonnes. Also, the total coffee production is expected to cross the mark of 3.5 Lakh Metric Tonnes in the next financial year.
Arabica and Robusta are the two types of coffee grown in India. In the last financial year, the total production of Robusta was 2.29 Lakh Metric Tonnes whereas the production of Arabica was 98,000 Metric Tonnes.
A major part of the coffee produced in India is exported to other countries, which is more than 70% of the total coffee produced in the country. Some of the countries to which coffee is exported are Italy, Germany, Turkey, Belgium, Russian Federation, U.S.A. and Australia.
In India, coffee is mainly produced in Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Odisha. Among all coffee producing states, Karnataka stands on top with a share of more than 70% of the total coffee produced in India. This post describes about the top 5 coffee producing states in India:
5. ODISHA
Odisha is the fifth largest coffee producing state in India with a production of 550 Metric Tonnes. Arabica is the type of coffee grown in Odisha, which need moderate temperature and high rainfall to grow.
Koraput, Rayagada, Phulbani and Keonjhar are the main coffee producing regions in Odisha.
Production: 550 Metric Tonnes
4. ANDHRA PRADESH
Andhra Pradesh with a production of 7,425 Metric Tonnes has occupied 4th position in the list of top 5 coffee producing states in India. Andhra Pradesh produces Arabica and Robusta Coffee, whose total production was 7,425 Metric Tonnes.
The production of Arabica Coffee and Robusta Coffee was 7,370 Metric Tonnes and 550 Metric Tonnes respetively in the last financial year. The total production of coffee in the next financial year is expected to cross the mark of 9,500 Metric Tonnes.
Production: 7,425 Metric Tonnes
3. TAMIL NADU
Tamil Nadu is next on this list, which produced 17,875 Metric Tonnes of coffee in the last financial year. Tamil Nadu is a major coffee producing state and account for more than 5% of the total coffee produced in the country.
Arabica Coffee form the major part of the total coffee produced in the state and in the last financial year, the production of Arabica Coffee was 13,150 Metric Tonnes. Robusta Coffee is also produced by the state, whose production was 4,725 Metric Tonnes in the last year.
Pulneys, Nilgris, Salem and Coimbatore are the main coffee growing region in Tamil Nadu. Pulneys is the largest coffee producing region in the state with a production of more than 7,600 Metric Tonnes.
Production: 17,875 Metric Tonnes
2. KERALA
Kerala with a total production of 67,700 Metric Tonnes stand at 2nd position in the list of top 5 largest coffee producing states in India. Kerala account for more than 20% of the total coffee produced in India.
Like Karnataka, Robusta Coffee form the major part of the total coffee produced in the state with a production of more than 65,000 Metric Tonnes. Arabica Coffee is produced in a small quantity as compared to Robust and in the last financial year, its production was 2,055 Metric Tonnes.
Wayanad and Travancore are the main coffee producing regions in Kerala and account for more than 95% of the total coffee produced in the state. Nelliampathies, Kozhikode, Palakkad and Malappuram are other coffee producing regions in the state.
Like Karnataka, coffee in Kerala is planted on high altitude of about 1,200 metres above sea level. Kerala also has a good yield, which is 790 kilograms per hectare.
Production: 67,700 Metric Tonnes
1. KARNATAKA
Among all coffee producing states in India, Karnataka is the indisputable leader and produces more than 70% of the total coffee produced in the country. Karnataka produced 2.33 Lakh Metric Tonnes of coffee in the last financial year, which is the highest coffee production by any state in India.
In 2.33 Lakh Metric Tonnes of coffee, the production of Robusta Coffee formed the major part, which was more than 1.58 Lakh Metric Tonnes. Arabica is an another type of coffee produced in Karnataka, whose production was 74,755 Metric Tonnes.
Coffee is planted in a large area in Karnataka and account for more than 60% of the total area under coffee cultivation in India. There are more than 4,500 coffee plantations in India, which is generally on high altitude of about 1,300 metre above sea level.
Kodagu, Chikmagalur and Hassan are the main coffee producing regions in Karnataka. Kodagu is the largest coffee producing region in Karnataka with more than 50% share in the total coffee produced in the state. Mysore and Shimoga are the other coffee producing regions in the state.
Apart from the highest coffee production, Karnataka also has the highest yield, which is more than 1,000 Kilograms per hectare. The main reason for coffee production in a large quantity in Karnataka is the suitable temperature, climate and rainfall.