Knowledge Nugget | Coffee in India: History, Geography and key facts for UPSC Aspirants

Key Takeaways :.

1. The story of Indian coffee began modestly in 1600 AD when the legendary holy saint Baba Budan planted seven seeds of ‘Mocha’ in the courtyard of his hermitage on Baba Budan Giris in Karnataka. For a significant period, the plants remained as a garden curiosity and spread slowly as backyard plantings.

2. It was during the 18th century that the commercial plantations of coffee were started. Since then, the Indian coffee industry has made rapid strides and earned a distinct identity in the coffee map of the world.

3. India’s coffee is grown over 4.90 lakh hectares and produces 3.63 lakh metric tonnes of coffee. Notably, coffee is traditionally grown in the Western Ghats, spread over Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu. Coffee cultivation is also expanding rapidly in the nontraditional areas of Andhra Pradesh and Odisha as well as in the Northeast states.

4. Coffee is predominantly an export-orientated commodity, with 70 per cent of the country’s production being exported to more than 120 countries, earning $1.80 billion during 2024–25, while the rest is consumed within the country.

5. The two main varieties of coffee, viz., Arabica and Robusta, are grown in India.  Arabica is a mild coffee, but with the beans being more aromatic, it has a higher market value compared to Robusta beans. On the other hand, Robusta has more strength and is, therefore, used in making various blends.

6. Arabica is grown at higher altitudes than Robusta. The cool and equable temperature, ranging between 15 degrees Celsius and 25 degrees Celsius, is suitable for Arabica, while for Robusta, a hot and humid climate with a temperature ranging from 20 degrees Celsius to 30 degrees Celsius is suitable.

7. Arabica is more suitable for large holdings, whereas Robusta is suitable irrespective of the size of the farm. The harvest of Arabica takes place from November to January, while for Robusta it is December to February. Arabica is susceptible to pests and diseases such as the white stem borer, leaf rust, etc., and requires more shade than Robusta.

8. Notably, Brazil is the world’s largest coffee producer, contributing about 40 per cent of global production. Meanwhile, Vietnam, the second-largest coffee producer.

BEYOND THE NUGGET: Coffee Board of India

1. During the 1940s, the coffee industry in India faced significant challenges due to the Second World War, resulting in very low prices and the ravages of pests and diseases.  In response to this crisis, the Government of India established the ‘Coffee Board’ through “Coffee Act VII of 1942”, under the administrative control of the Ministry of Commerce and Industry.

2. Notably, with liberalisation and economic reforms in the 1990s, the Coffee Board’s monopoly over marketing and exports was abolished. The Coffee (Amendment) Act, 1993, operationalised in September 1996, ended the pooling system.

3. After pooling was discontinued, the Coffee Board serves as the friend, philosopher and guide to the coffee sector, covering the entire value chain. The core activities are primarily directed towards research & development, transfer of technology, quality improvement, extending development support to growing sectors, and promotion of coffee in export and domestic markets.

4. The Board comprises 33 members, including the Chairman and the Secretary & Chief Executive Officer. It is headquartered in Bengaluru.

5. The Board functions through six statutory committees which are appointed for a one-year term each, and the functions of each committee as per the Coffee Act are:

(i) Executive Committee: It deals with functions specifically assigned to it under the Coffee Rules. In addition to that, it deals with matters not specifically assigned to the Propaganda, Marketing, Research, or any other committees constituted by the Board.

(ii) Propaganda Committee: It deals with matters relating to the promotion of sale and increasing the consumption in India and elsewhere of the coffee produced in India.

(iii) Marketing Committee: It deals with the coffee marketing scheme as set forth in the Act and Rules.

(iv) Research Committee: It deals with the promotion of agricultural and technological research in the interest of the coffee industry in India.

(v) Development Committee: It deals with the measures that may be undertaken for the development of coffee estates.

(vi) Quality Committee: It deals with all issues relating to the improvement in the quality of coffee produced in India.

6. The Board also had one non-statutory committee, viz., the Audit Committee, which deals with the matters relating to annual accounts and also studies

Post Read Questions

(1) Match List-I with List-II and select the correct answer using the code given below the Lists: (UPSC CSE 2008)

List-I (Board)                       List-II (Headquarters)

1. Coffee Board                    1. Bengaluru

2. Rubber Board                2. Guntur

3. Tea Board                       3. Kottayam

4. Tobacco Board              4. Kolkata

Code: A B C D

(a)    2  4  3  1

(b)  1  3  4 2

(c)  2  3  4  1

(d)  1  4  3  2

(2) Though coffee and tea both are cultivated on hill slopes, there is some difference between them regarding their cultivation. In this context, consider the following statements: (UPSC CSE 2010)

1. Coffee plant requires a hot and humid climate of tropical areas whereas tea can be cultivated in both tropical and subtropical areas.

2. Coffee is propagated by seeds but tea is propagated by stem cuttings only.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

(a) 1 only

(b) 2 only

(c) Both 1 and 2

(d) Neither 1 nor 2

(Sources: Indian coffee gaining popularity globally: PM Modi, coffeeboard.gov.in)

Subscribe to our UPSC newsletter. Stay updated with the latest UPSC articles by joining our Telegram channel – Indian Express UPSC Hub, and follow us on Instagram and X.

🚨 Click Here to read the UPSC Essentials magazine for October 2025. Share your views and suggestions in the comment box or at manas.srivastava@indianexpress.com🚨