Andhra Pradesh’s coffee industry is set for an exciting year, with coffee plantations expecting a significant boost in yields that could enable the state to export nearly 16,000 metric tonnes of coffee in the 2024-25 fiscal year. This would contribute to India’s projected national coffee export of 220,000 tonnes, a 15% increase from the previous year’s 191,000 tonnes, according to recent Coffee Board figures. Andhra Pradesh ranks as one of the notable contributors to the country’s coffee output, following Karnataka, Kerala, and Tamil Nadu, with much of the state’s coffee cultivated in the lush regions of Paderu, Araku Valley, and Chintapalli.
In 2016, Andhra Pradesh launched a plan to expand coffee cultivation by an additional 100,000 acres, reaching the target in 2023-24. This expansion has been achieved by adding 10,000 acres annually, according to Ashok Kumar, additional director of the Integrated Tribal Development Agency (ITDA). Now, a proposal is underway to add another 100,000 acres for coffee cultivation, alongside a plan to rejuvenate 75 acres by removing older coffee plants and introducing new ones. The Andhra Pradesh Forest Development Corporation, led by divisional manager JVS Satyam, has implemented strategic shade planting—using natural shade and adding silver oaks to enhance coffee growth in this non-traditional coffee-growing region.
With a projected yield of 15,300 metric tonnes of Arabica coffee and an additional 40 metric tonnes of Robusta, Andhra Pradesh is aiming to further establish its position in the national coffee sector. In support of the local market, the ITDA has already procured 2,000 metric tonnes of coffee fruits, and the Girijan Cooperative Corporation (GCC) plans to purchase an additional 2,000 metric tonnes for marketing. Though challenges remain, including questions over the state’s ability to improve its overall national ranking, the dedicated investments and continued expansion signal a bright future for Andhra Pradesh’s coffee sector.
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