Mumbai: India's 1999-00 production of coffee was forecast at a record 4.5 million bags, up 17% from last year. Arabica accounts for 1.85 million and robusta 2.65 million. Favourable weather conditions and timely rains are expected to contribute to this anticipated record coffee crop. High production and slow growth in domestic demand will support large exports. Coffee exports in 1999-00 are forecast at 3.2 million bags, up 12% from an estimated level of 2.85 million bags.Jayanti Group, a Bangalore based coffee exporter has also revised its estimate of the supply of coffee from India. According to their estimate, the total coffee supply in India during calendar 1999 is 276,700 metric tons, up from its previous estimate of 248,200 tons. It also raised its projection for coffee exports in 1999 to 187,500 tons from 157,500 tons previously.
However, its estimate of domestic coffee consumption in 1999 has been lowered to 57,700 from 59,200 tons.
The group's production estimate of 271,500 tons for 1999 issignificantly higher than the government-run coffee Board's 1998-99 crop estimate of 230,000 tons.
The Indian coffee crop year runs from October to September, but the crop effectively starts arriving in the market from January. As of June 4, stocks stood at 119,389 tons in India. The closing stocks are expected to be 31,500 tons for the year 2000.
Copyright © 1999 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.
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