Exports for 2011-12 coffee year rise 2.95 per cent on back of Robusta

The International Coffee Organisation reported on 1 November that coffee exports increased by 2.95 per cent for the 2011-12 coffee year that closed off in September.  October 2011 to September 2012 saw 107.8 million bags of coffee exported, compared to 104.7 million bags in 2010-11. The increase was largely attributed to a rise in Robusta exports, that amounted to 41.8 million bags compared to 36.9 million bags in 2010-11. Conversely, exports of Arabica dropped in the coffee year, totalling 66 million bags compared to 67.8 million bags the year prior.  The ICO has previously opined that record high Arabica prices in 2011 led many roasters to turn to less expensive Robusta, which has led to the shift in demand.  World coffee exports rose by 230,000 bags for the month of September 2012 over the same period a year prior, according to trade statistics released by the International Coffee Organisation on 1 November Total world exports amounted to 7.94 million bags in September 2012, compared with 7.71 million in September 2011.