Coffee exports dip by 7%

clipped from www.business-standard.com Newswire18 / Mumbai September 4, 2007 Coffee exports during January 1-August 30 were down 7.47 per cent at 159,248 tonnes, compared with 172,120 tonnes in the same period a year ago, according to data from the Coffee Board of India.   Weak overseas demand for arabica is the main reason for the decline in total coffee exports, according to Ramesh Rajah, president, All India Coffee Exporters’ Association.   During the period, export of the arabica variety fell 36 per cent to 33,071 tonnes, while that of robusta declined 5 per cent to 83,804 tonnes.   Demand for Indian coffee was weak in the international markets mainly because Indian sellers were quoting rates higher than their global counterparts.  “It is very unlikely that exports would pick up in the rest of 2007. Export demand may emerge in the first quarter of 2008 when the new Indian crop arrives,” Rajah said.