Dry weather hits Indian coffee crop

Effects of a prolonged stretch of dry weather are set to take their toll on the Indian coffee crop when harvesting begins in October this year, according to figures from the United Planter’s Association of Southern India. After posting a record harvest of 350,000 tonnes last year, it is expected the yield from this year’s crop could be as low as 227,500 tonnes, a slump of 35 per cent. The decline is due to an unseasonal dry spell through March and April, which had a negative effect on the crop’s flowering. India’s crop is expected to recover next year, with the Indian Coffee Board forecasting a yield of 320,000 tonnes in 2017. The news out of India is likely to further strengthen Robusta prices, which are already hitting record highs this year due to drought in the world’s largest Robusta producer, Vietnam.