The Coffee Board of India has signalled a significant decline in coffee production for the 2024-25 season, attributing this downturn to severe and unpredictable weather conditions that have wreaked havoc on the country’s coffee plantations. The coffee-growing regions, particularly in Karnataka and Kerala, have been hit hard by a series of climatic challenges. High temperatures during April and May, which are crucial months for coffee blossoms, resulted in the scorching of blossom clusters and the burning of fruit at their pinhead size, severely affecting the early stages of coffee development.
These extreme temperatures were followed by an onslaught of heavy rainfall in July and August, which not only delayed the harvest but also caused severe soil erosion, waterlogging, and landslides in several key coffee-producing areas. These weather events led to widespread damage, including berry dropping, stalk rot, and wet foot conditions caused by flooding. In Wayanad, Kerala, over 200 acres of coffee plantations were washed away in a single landslide, drastically reducing the region’s production capacity.
Karnataka, which accounts for about 70 per cent of India’s coffee output, reported extensive damage across its coffee belt, particularly in Chikmagalur, Hassan, and Coorg districts. The Karnataka Planters’ Association has estimated a minimum yield loss of 15 per cent to 20 per cent, although actual figures could be much higher, with the full extent of the damage still being assessed. These adverse conditions are expected to significantly disrupt the coffee supply chain, impacting not only domestic consumption but also India’s coffee export market, which has been a key driver of the country’s coffee industry.
The Coffee Board has already initiated steps to assess the losses more comprehensively, writing to coffee-growing districts to form interdisciplinary teams for a detailed survey of the affected plantations. This evaluation will be crucial for understanding the full impact of the climatic challenges on the 2024-25 coffee crop, which is now under severe threat. The situation underscores the growing vulnerability of coffee production to climate change, which could have long-term implications for the industry if such extreme weather patterns continue.
K.G. Jagadeesha, CEO of the Coffee Board, emphasised the widespread impact, noting, "There is considerable loss due to high temperatures and heavy rains. A lot of damage to plants and plantations has been reported in most key coffee-growing areas."
India's coffee production was around 3.6 lakh metric tonnes in the 2023-24 crop year. However, the adverse weather conditions could result in a steep decline, potentially disrupting both domestic supply and export markets.
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