India’s 2012-13 Arabica production down, Robusta up: Ecom

India's Arabica crop is set to drop this year, due to a lack of blossom showers in 2012, with low elevations experiencing a blossom/fruit set failure, traders at Ecom Gill Coffee Trading told Global Coffee Review on 22 February.  India’s coffee crop for the 2012-13 crop year was on average 85 per cent complete as February comes to an end. In addition to the lack of rain, later in the year further problems were also reported from white stem borer, according to the traders.  Ecom noted that regions which received good rainfall, or where large estates have irrigated their crop, have produced good quality coffee. The trading company said that its foolproof quality analysis system has helped identify these crops, where the company will focus its buying efforts. A shift from Arabica cultivation to Robusta was noted, due to dropping Arabica prices, and the high incidence of pests and disease in the warmer weather. On the Robust end, India’s crop production and quality is reported as positive in an “on year”, particularly in Karnataka, the main Robusta growing state. Ecom said that crop production was low in Kerala, due mainly to a lack of rains during blossoming time. Around 80 per cent of the crop in this region depends on rain for blossoming. Overall, quality and bean size of Robusta was reported as “better and bigger” than the previous year. Ecom anticipates more Robustas to be washed due to the good prices last year, where for a brief two weeks washed Robusta was more expensive than washed Arabica.