CoffeariumBeta
  1. Plant
  2. Farm
  3. Process
  4. Trade
  5. Roast
  6. Brew
  7. Cup
Origin · Country profile

India

Asia’s third-largest coffee origin, growing mostly robusta under shade trees in the Western Ghats of Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu, with arabica from the Baba Budan hills and Araku Valley, and the home of monsooned coffee.

Across the chain: History

Source-checkedby Coffearium verification pass· Last source-checked 3 Nov 2026· Prepared with AI assistance· 36 sources (31 tier A)· 3 contested· Updated 3 Nov 2026· Literature last searched 3 Nov 2026
Reading depth
Contents
  • The Coffee Board of India’s final estimate for 2025-26 is 373,000 t, of which 262,000 t robusta and 111,000 t arabica.7
  • Karnataka grew 68.8% of the 2025-26 crop, and Kodagu district alone 32.5% (our calculation from the Coffee Board’s district table).7
  • Of 442,753 coffee holdings counted by the Coffee Board in 2024-25, 439,891 were smaller than 10 ha (99.4%, our calculation).7
  • India has seven coffee geographical indications (GIs), all filed by the Coffee Board; Monsooned Malabar Arabica and Robusta were certified in 2008, five regional coffees in 2019.12,13,14,15,16,17,18
  • Coffee is grown under a two-tier mixed shade canopy, according to the Coffee Board and the US Department of Agriculture (USDA); black pepper is a main intercrop in Kodagu and Wayanad.19,5,22,23

Snapshot#

India grows coffee mostly in the Western Ghats, the mountain range along the south-west coast, in Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu.8 The Coffee Board of India puts the 2025-26 crop at 373,000 t in its final estimate.7 Robusta made up 262,000 t of it, 70% (our calculation).7 For 2026-27, its post-blossom estimate is 404,000 t.7

The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) counts 6.43 million bags of 60 kg for 2025/26, 3.6% of the world’s 178.8 million (our calculation).1 In statistics of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), India produced 363,000 t of green coffee in 2024. That ranks seventh among 78 countries, with 3.3% of their total (our calculation).3 Coffee production by country compares origins.

Indian coffee grows under shade trees, and black pepper is grown on many of them as an intercrop.5,31 India has seven coffee geographical indications (GIs), including Monsooned Malabar, a coffee exposed to the humid monsoon air after drying.12,24

Where coffee grows#

The Coffee Board divides the coffee land into “traditional areas” and “non-traditional areas”.6 The traditional areas are in the Western Ghats of Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu.8 The non-traditional areas are Andhra Pradesh and Odisha; the North-East forms a third group.6,10

Relief map of southern India with layers for coffee production by district or zone, the geographical indications for coffee, the coffee research institute and its stations, and places in the history of coffeeBababudangirisChikmagalurCoorgWayanaadAraku ValleyMonsooned Malabar coastKARNATAKAKERALATAMIL NADUANDHRA PRADESHODISHASRI LANKAArabian SeaBay of BengalBengaluruMangaluruMysuruKozhikodeKochiChennaiMaduraiCoimbatoreVishakhapatnamHyderabadThiruvananthapuramCCRIChettalliChundaleThandigudiR.V. Nagar123
darker = higher (500, 1,000 and 1,500 m)dashed: state bordersNo national coffee altitude band is sourced, so none is drawn.Relief: AWS Terrain Tiles, 0.15° means; borders, states and towns: Natural Earth; districts: geoBoundaries
Interactive relief map of southern India. Layers: production by district or growing zone in the Coffee Board’s final estimate for 2025-26, with planted area and holdings for 2022-23 where given; the seven coffee geographical indications; the Central Coffee Research Institute and its regional stations; and places in coffee history, with legend marked. Zones are drawn on the districts that contain them (our mapping).7,6,12,19,20,21,22,23,10,9,8,26,24

Karnataka. Karnataka grew 256,695 t in 2025-26, 68.8% of the crop (our calculation).7 Kodagu, also called Coorg, grew 121,185 t, Chikkamagaluru 94,760 t and Hassan 40,750 t.7 Kodagu grows mainly robusta; Chikkamagaluru and Hassan grow both species.7

Kerala. Kerala grew 80,350 t, almost all robusta.7 Wayanad district alone grew 68,800 t, all robusta.7 The Board also lists Travancore and the Nelliampathies.7

Tamil Nadu. Tamil Nadu grew 19,975 t, about 70% of it arabica (our calculation).7 Its zones are the Pulneys, the Nilgiris, the Shevaroys (Salem) and the Anamalais (Coimbatore).7

Non-traditional areas and the North-East. Andhra Pradesh grew 15,290 t and Odisha 470 t, nearly all arabica.7 In Andhra Pradesh the Board lists Araku Valley, Chintapalli and Minumuluru.6 The North-Eastern Region grew 220 t.7

Altitude. Arabica grows higher than robusta, according to the Coffee Board.8 Its GI applications give altitudes for each coffee, but each gives one range in its specification and a different one for the wider area (see Contested).20,21,22,23 Bababudangiri Arabica is the highest, at 1,000–1,500 m or 1,500–2,000 m.21 Araku Valley Arabica grows at 900–1,100 m, according to the 2019 government release.10

0 m500 m1,000 m1,500 m2,000 m12345Mangaluru coastMullanagiri area (summit 1,926 m) 26 Chikkamagaluru0 km20 km40 km60 km80 km100 km120 km140 km160 kmBars: altitudes as written in the Coffee Board’s GI applications (specification and area data differ).1 Bababudangiris (area data): 1,000–1,500 m 21 ; 2 Bababudangiris (spec.): 1,500–2,000 m 21 ;3 Chikmagalur district (data): 700–1,200 m 20 ; 4 Chikmagalur (spec.): 1,000–1,100 m 20 ;5 Monsooned Malabar raw coffee: 1,000–1,500 m 19 .Mangaluru to beyond Chikkamagaluru, bent near Mullanagiri; vertical scale about 30×. Terrain: AWS Terrain Tiles, 0.03° means.
Section across the Western Ghats from the coast at Mangaluru over the Baba Budan range near Mullanagiri (1,926 m) to Chikkamagaluru and beyond. Bars: the altitude ranges written in the Coffee Board’s GI applications for Bababudangiris Arabica, Chikmagalur Arabica and the raw coffee of Monsooned Malabar Arabica; the 2017 applications give one range in the specification and another for the wider area. Terrain from 0.03° mean relief, so summits appear lower than they are.21,20,19,26

Climate and harvest#

Two monsoons bring the rain: the south-west monsoon from June to September and the north-east monsoon from October to December, according to USDA.5 Rain before the monsoon is known as blossom showers, and USDA calls these showers critical for the crop.5

Blossom and backing showers. In Chikmagalur district, growers surveyed for the 2008-09 crop used sprinklers for blossom showers in February and March when rain failed.32 They gave further “backing showers” in April and May.32 About 80% of small growers (under 2 ha) and all large growers had sprinklers.32 Irrigation and flowering and pollination explain why the timing matters.

Harvest. Arabica is normally picked from November to January and robusta from December to February, according to USDA.5 The Coffee Board’s application for Chikmagalur Arabica says the crop begins to ripen in October and November.20 For Wayanad Robusta it gives December to February.23 Harvest calendars compares India with other origins.

Coffee year. USDA counts India’s coffee in an October–September marketing year.5 The Coffee Board issues three estimates during each season: after the blossom, after the monsoon and a final estimate.5,7

Coffee under shade#

India is the only country where all coffee grows under shade, according to a 2019 government release.10 The Coffee Board and USDA describe a two-tier shade canopy.19,5 The Board’s research page counts nearly 250 kinds of shade tree.9

Two tiers. In Kodagu, the Coffee Board’s Coorg application names dadap (Erythrina) as the usual lower shade.22 Silver oak (Grevillea robusta) is planted in shade belts and has replaced many of the original forest trees.22,31 For Wayanad, the Board notes that old shade species are being replaced by silver oak.23

Pepper. Silver oak carries pepper vines and gives timber on a short rotation, according to a 2016 study in Kodagu.31 The Coffee Board lists pepper among the main intercrops in Kodagu and Wayanad, with banana, ginger, mango and jackfruit.22,23

Native trees and yield. The 2016 study surveyed 113 robusta plantations in Kodagu at 800–1,000 m in 2008.31 Each extra 100 native (non-Grevillea) shade trees per hectare raised berry production by 5.6%.31 Irrigation raised it by 16% and liming by 20%.31 Shade and agroforestry covers shade more widely.

Farms and people#

Indian coffee is a smallholder crop. In 2024-25 the Coffee Board counted 442,753 holdings, of which 439,891 were under 10 ha.7 That is 99.4% (our calculation).7 Small growers produce about 70% of the crop, according to a 2025 government release.11

Where the holdings are. More than half of the holdings, 252,243, lie in the non-traditional areas (our calculation: 57%).7 In 2022-23, the three Andhra Pradesh zones held 231,276 holdings on 100,962 ha planted, about 0.4 ha each (our calculation).6 Holdings larger than 10 ha numbered 2,862 in 2024-25, 2,211 of them in Karnataka.7

Workers. On an average day of 2022-23, 683,018 people worked in Indian coffee plantations, by the Coffee Board’s provisional estimate.6 Kodagu alone employed 264,808.6 A 2025 government release says coffee supports the livelihoods of over two million people.11

Varieties#

The Central Coffee Research Institute (CCRI) has released 16 varieties, 13 arabica and three robusta, according to the Coffee Board and a 2016 chapter by CCRI breeders.9,36 The Board’s GI applications name the main ones in each region.20,21,22,23

Arabica. S.795 is one of the most widely grown arabica varieties in India, according to World Coffee Research (WCR).30 It was bred by CCRI from a cross of S.288, a line with genes of C. liberica, with Kents.30 WCR notes that S.795 resists rust in global trials but is considered susceptible in India.30 Cauvery (Catimor) descends from Caturra × Timor Hybrid, according to a 1994 CCRI paper.29 Chandragiri, released in 2007, tolerated all known races of leaf rust, according to the Coffee Board.9

By region. The Board names S.795, Sln.5B, Sln.9 and Cauvery for Chikmagalur Arabica, and S.795, Sln.9 and Cauvery for Bababudangiri Arabica.20,21 For Coorg Arabica it names S.795, Sln.4, Sln.5 and Cauvery.22 For Wayanad Robusta it names Peradeniya, S.274 and CxR.23 CxR stands for a cross of C. congensis and robusta.36 Arabica varieties, the Timor Hybrid and liberica and excelsa give the background.

Processing#

Indian trade names follow the process: washed coffee is called parchment, natural coffee cherry.5 About 80% of arabica and 20% of robusta is washed, according to USDA (2023).5 The rest is dried as whole cherry.5 Washed process and natural process describe the methods.

Washed coffee in the GI areas. In Kodagu, estates pulp the cherry with a machine, the pulper, then wash, briefly ferment and dry the parchment, according to the Coffee Board’s Coorg application.22 The clean coffee is then cured in mills.22 In Wayanad, coffee may be cured only in a licensed curing works, according to the Coffee Board.23

Monsooned Malabar. Monsooned coffee is made from natural (cherry) coffee exposed to humid air until it absorbs moisture.24 The beans swell and turn pale yellow to straw white, according to the Indian standard IS 4074.24 The work is done in the monsoon season on the Malabar Coast and takes about 12–16 weeks.24 The Coffee Board places the curing between Mangalore in Karnataka and Kozhikode in Kerala, from June to September.19

Why monsooning began. The Coffee Board’s GI application gives a historical account.19 In the days of sailing ships, cherry coffee took about six months to reach Europe and changed on the way.19 Faster steamships through the Suez Canal ended this, so the change was recreated on land.19 The application cites no record for the account.

History#

Legend and evidence. The Coffee Board tells how a saint, Baba Budan, planted seven seeds of ‘Mocha’ in the courtyard of his hermitage on the Baba Budan Giris in Karnataka.8 The Board dates this to 1600; the Chikkamagaluru district administration gives 1670.8,26 A 2024 genome study, citing earlier work, also places the smuggling of the “seven seeds” out of Yemen around 1600.27 No primary record was found among the sources consulted (see Contested).

What genetics shows. The 2024 genome study found that Indian varieties carry both Typica and Bourbon variation.27 Arabica varieties traces the Typica route through India and Java.

Plantations. Commercial plantations began in the 18th century, according to the Coffee Board.8 White stem borer and leaf rust later devastated arabica.8 The Board dates the introduction of robusta from Indo-China to the years around 1900.8 A 1994 paper from CCRI states that leaf rust reached epidemic scale in India in the late 19th century.29

Breeding for resistance. India made the first effective selection for rust resistance in 1911, according to a 2017 review citing earlier work.28 It produced Kent’s, which replaced the susceptible Coorg variety.28 In 1,925 L. C. Coleman, Director of Agriculture in the Mysore government, founded the Mysore Coffee Experimental Station near Balehonnur.9 The Coffee Board took it over in 1946 and renamed it the Central Coffee Research Institute.9

The Coffee Board and the pool. The Coffee Act, 1942 is dated 2 March 1942.25 Under it, coffee beyond an estate’s free-sale quota had to be delivered to the Board’s surplus pool, which the Board marketed.25 Pooling ended in 1996, when marketing was deregulated.8

Production since 1961. In FAO statistics, India’s production rose from 43,200 t in 1961 to 363,000 t in 2024.2 It first passed 100,000 t in 1971 and 300,000 t in 2001.2

Trade and institutions#

Exports. Nearly 70% of production is exported, to 128 countries, according to a 2025 government release; it gives no year for these figures.11 USDA expects exports of 6.03 million bags in 2025/26, including 2.42 million bags of soluble coffee.1 In financial year 2022-23 (April–March), the Coffee Board recorded 396,346 t worth USD 1,120 million.6 The same release puts exports at a record USD 1.8 billion in financial year 2024-25.11

Destinations. In 2022-23, Italy took 14.70% of the volume, Germany 10.80%, Russia 9.75% and Belgium 6.84%.6 Italy is the main destination, followed by Germany, Russia and Belgium, according to USDA (2023).5

At home. USDA estimates domestic consumption at 1.575 million bags in 2025/26.1 A Coffee Board study by CRISIL estimates 96,000 t for calendar year 2024.7 Coffee consumption by country and coffee drinks around the world give the context.

The Coffee Board. The Board is a statutory body under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, with 33 members.8 Its research arm, CCRI at Balehonnur, has regional stations at Chettalli (Kodagu), Chundale (Wayanad), Thandigudi (Tamil Nadu), near Chintapalli (Andhra Pradesh) and near Diphu (Assam).9

Geographical indications. The Coffee Board holds all seven coffee GIs.12,13,14,15,16,17,18 Monsooned Malabar Arabica and Monsooned Malabar Robusta were certified on 28 March 2008.12,13 Coorg Arabica, Wayanaad Robusta, Chikmagalur Arabica, Araku Valley Arabica and Bababudangiris Arabica were certified on 1 March 2019.14,15,16,17,18 The full list is under Geographical indications in the deep dive.

Production over time#

The FAO series runs from 1961. Production was 43,200 t in 1961 and passed 100,000 t for the first time in 1971, with 110,231 t.2 In the 1980s it alternated between high and low years, for example 195,100 t in 1985 and 122,400 t in 1986.2 Since 2001 it has stayed between 262,000 t (2008) and 363,000 t (2024).2 The 2024 value is 8.4 times that of 1961 (our calculation).2

19601965197019751980198519901995200020052010201520202025050100150200250300350400Yearthousand t green coffeeIndia2
Data table
SeriesYearthousand t green coffeeSource
India196143.22
India1962462
India196356.22
India196469.32
India196560.92
India196663.92
India196778.52
India196857.3312
India196973.432
India197063.6192
India1971110.2312
India197268.9482
India197391.0722
India197486.3882
India197592.5062
India1976842
India1977102.32
India19781252
India1979110.4882
India1980149.8352
India1981118.62
India1982152.12
India19831302
India1984105.0292
India1985195.12
India1986122.42
India1987192.12
India1988122.72
India1989214.72
India1990118.12
India19911702
India19921802
India19931622
India19942082
India19951802
India19962232
India19972052
India19982282
India19992652
India20002922
India20013012
India20023012
India2003275.2752
India2004270.52
India2005275.52
India20062742
India20072882
India20082622
India2009262.32
India2010289.62
India20113022
India20123142
India2013318.22
India2014304.52
India20153272
India20163482
India20173122
India20183162
India2019319.52
India20202982
India20213342
India20223522
India2023360.52
India20243632
Green coffee production of India, 1961–2024, in thousand tonnes, from FAO statistics by calendar year. The highest value is the last, 363,000 t in 2024.2
Year t Year t Year t Year t
1961 43,2002 1977 102,3002 1993 162,0002 2009 262,3002
1962 46,0002 1978 125,0002 1994 208,0002 2010 289,6002
1963 56,2002 1979 110,4882 1995 180,0002 2011 302,0002
1964 69,3002 1980 149,8352 1996 223,0002 2012 314,0002
1965 60,9002 1981 118,6002 1997 205,0002 2013 318,2002
1966 63,9002 1982 152,1002 1998 228,0002 2014 304,5002
1967 78,5002 1983 130,0002 1999 265,0002 2015 327,0002
1968 57,3312 1984 105,0292 2000 292,0002 2016 348,0002
1969 73,4302 1985 195,1002 2001 301,0002 2017 312,0002
1970 63,6192 1986 122,4002 2002 301,0002 2018 316,0002
1971 110,2312 1987 192,1002 2003 275,2752 2019 319,5002
1972 68,9482 1988 122,7002 2004 270,5002 2020 298,0002
1973 91,0722 1989 214,7002 2005 275,5002 2021 334,0002
1974 86,3882 1990 118,1002 2006 274,0002 2022 352,0002
1975 92,5062 1991 170,0002 2007 288,0002 2023 360,5002
1976 84,0002 1992 180,0002 2008 262,0002 2024 363,0002

FAO and the Indian coffee year. Some FAO values equal Coffee Board figures for a coffee year (our reading).2,6 FAO’s 110,231 t for 1971 is the Board’s figure for 1970-71, and its 334,000 t for 2021 the Board’s figure for 2020-21.2,6 FAO’s 352,000 t for 2022, however, equals the Board’s 2022-23 crop, not 2021-22 (342,000 t).2,6 The year matching is therefore not consistent.

The Coffee Board’s long series. In the Board’s tables, production was 18,893 t in 1950-51, of which 15,511 t arabica.6 Robusta overtook arabica by 1990-91 (91,415 t against 78,311 t).6 In 2022-23 the crop was 352,000 t, 252,000 t of it robusta.6 Planted area grew from 92,523 ha in 1950-51 to 479,669 ha in 2022-23.6

USDA’s recent series. In USDA’s tables, production was 5.70 million bags in 2021/22, 5.87 million in 2022/23, 6.56 million in 2023/24, 6.06 million in 2024/25 and 6.43 million in 2025/26.1 Robusta made up 4.70 million bags of the 2025/26 crop, 5.6% of the world’s robusta (our calculation).1 USDA forecasts 6.14 million bags for 2026/27.1

Yield. FAO’s average yield was 739 kg/ha in 2024.4 It was highest in 1989, at 971 kg/ha.4 Coffee yields compares origins.

Production by district#

The Coffee Board reports production by state and by district or zone, for arabica and robusta.7 The table gives its final estimate for 2025-26 and its post-blossom estimate for 2026-27, with names as in the source.7

0250005000075000100000125000t (coffee year 2025-26, final estimate; names as in the source)ArabicaRobustaKodagu121,185 (see text)7 Chikkamagaluru94,7607 Wayanad68,8007 Hassan40,7507 Andhra Pradesh15,2907 Travancore8,790 (see text)7 Pulneys8,2357 Nilgiris6,3357 Shevaroys (Salem)4,0257 Nelliampathies2,7607 Anamalais (Coimbatore)1,3807 Odisha4707 North Eastern Region2207
Data table
Arabica (t)Robusta (t)Total (t)Source
Kodagu20060101125121,185 (see text)7
Chikkamagaluru411855357594,7607
Wayanad06880068,8007
Hassan179002285040,7507
Andhra Pradesh152405015,2907
Travancore94078508,790 (see text)7
Pulneys76955408,2357
Nilgiris140049356,3357
Shevaroys (Salem)4000254,0257
Nelliampathies113516252,7607
Anamalais (Coimbatore)8505301,3807
Odisha47004707
North Eastern Region125952207
Coffee production by district or zone in India, final estimate for coffee year 2025-26, in tonnes, arabica and robusta. Names as in the source. Data: Coffee Board of India.7
District or zone State Arabica 2025-26 (t) Robusta 2025-26 (t) Total 2025-26 (t) Share (our calculation) Total 2026-27, post-blossom (t)
Kodagu (incl. Chamarajanagar) Karnataka 20,0607 101,125 121,1857 32.5% 131,4207
Chikkamagaluru Karnataka 41,1857 53,5757 94,7607 25.4% 102,1557
Wayanad Kerala 07 68,8007 68,8007 18.4% 72,4507
Hassan Karnataka 17,9007 22,8507 40,7507 10.9% 45,7007
Andhra Pradesh Andhra Pradesh 15,2407 507 15,2907 4.1% 19,6507
Travancore Kerala 9407 7,850 8,7907 2.4% 9,5007
Pulneys Tamil Nadu 7,6957 5407 8,2357 2.2% 8,1307
Nilgiris Tamil Nadu 1,4007 4,9357 6,3357 1.7% 6,0357
Shevaroys (Salem) Tamil Nadu 4,0007 257 4,0257 1.1% 4,1757
Nelliampathies Kerala 1,1357 1,6257 2,7607 0.7% 2,6207
Anamalais (Coimbatore) Tamil Nadu 8507 5307 1,3807 0.4% 1,3807
Odisha Odisha 4707 07 4707 0.1% 5507
North Eastern Region North-East 1257 957 2207 0.1% 2357
India 111,0007 262,0007 373,0007 100% 404,0007

Two robusta cells are misprinted in the source. Kodagu reads “10,1125” and Travancore “67,850”.7 The table uses 101,125 t and 7,850 t, the values that agree with each row total and with the Karnataka and Kerala subtotals (our reading).7 The Board’s Kodagu row includes Chamarajanagar district.6

Kodagu, Chikkamagaluru, Wayanad and Hassan grew 87.3% of the 2025-26 crop (our calculation).7 By state, Karnataka grew 68.8%, Kerala 21.5%, Tamil Nadu 5.4% and the non-traditional areas 4.2% (our calculation).7 Arabica made up 29.8% of the national crop, but 99.7% of the non-traditional areas’ output (our calculation).7

Area, yields and holdings#

The Coffee Board’s 2022-23 tables give planted area, bearing area (area of trees old enough to crop) and productivity.6 Its productivity figures are production over bearing area.6

Region (2022-23) Planted area (ha) Bearing area (ha) Production (t) Productivity, arabica (kg/ha) Productivity, robusta (kg/ha) Holdings
Karnataka 246,5506 227,7576 248,0206 7316 1,3626 80,2576
Kerala 85,9576 85,0446 72,4256 4996 8696 77,8616
Tamil Nadu 35,6856 33,7926 18,7006 4766 9146 18,0206
Non-traditional areas (Andhra Pradesh, Odisha) 105,8306 84,3856 12,7306 1516 1696 236,6316
North Eastern Region 5,6476 1,5506 1256 636 1156 9,9006
India 479,6696 432,5286 352,0006 4646 1,1616 422,6696

Area, bearing area and productivity are for 2022-23; holdings are the Board’s provisional count for 2022-23.6 Robusta in Kodagu gave 1,442 kg/ha and in Hassan 1,406 kg/ha; arabica in Andhra Pradesh gave 153 kg/ha.6 National productivity was 814 kg/ha.6 The FAO yield for 2022, 734 kg/ha, is calculated on a different area (our reading).4,6

Arabica area, robusta crop. Arabica covered 250,126 ha of the 2022-23 planted area (52.1%), but gave 100,000 t of 352,000 t.6 The difference comes from robusta’s higher productivity and from the low productivity of the large arabica area in Andhra Pradesh.6 There, 79,924 ha of bearing arabica gave 12,225 t, 153 kg/ha.6

District holdings in 2022-23. Chikkamagaluru had 21,851 holdings on 97,582 ha planted; Kodagu’s two taluks, Madikeri and Virajpet, had 43,961 on 107,721 ha (our sum).6 Wayanad had 59,972 holdings on 67,738 ha.6 Minumuluru, Chintapalli and Araku Valley in Andhra Pradesh had 231,276 holdings on 100,962 ha (our sum).6

Area counts by source. The 2019 government release gives 454,000 ha (4.54 lakh) and 366,000 growers, 98% of them small, without a year.10 The 2025 release gives 491,000 ha (4.91 lakh).11 Both draw on the Coffee Board.

Geographical indications#

GI Product Area in the register Application Filed Certificate GI Journal Altitude in the Coffee Board’s application Source
Monsooned Malabar Arabica Coffee Monsooned arabica Karnataka and Kerala 85 5 Apr 2007 28 Mar 2008 21 Raw coffee from estates at 1,000–1,500 m GI Registry12, Coffee Board19
Monsooned Malabar Robusta Coffee Monsooned robusta Karnataka and Kerala 114 12 Oct 2007 28 Mar 2008 21 Not consulted GI Registry13
Coorg Arabica Coffee Arabica Karnataka 604 1 Jan 2018 1 Mar 2019 111 750–1,100 m (specification); 900–1,100 m (area data) GI Registry14, Coffee Board22
Wayanaad Robusta Coffee Robusta Kerala 605 1 Jan 2018 1 Mar 2019 111 700–2,100 m (specification); 600–900 m (area data) GI Registry15, Coffee Board23
Chikmagalur Arabica Coffee Arabica Karnataka 606 1 Jan 2018 1 Mar 2019 111 1,000–1,100 m (specification); 700–1,200 m (district data) GI Registry16, Coffee Board20
Araku Valley Arabica Coffee Arabica Andhra Pradesh and Odisha 607 1 Jan 2018 1 Mar 2019 111 900–1,100 m (government release) GI Registry17, PIB10
Bababudangiris Arabica Coffee Arabica Karnataka 608 1 Jan 2018 1 Mar 2019 111 1,500–2,000 m (specification); 1,000–1,500 m (area data) GI Registry18, Coffee Board21

All seven are registered in class 30 with the Coffee Board as applicant.12,13,14,15,16,17,18 The register gives validity to 4 April 2027 (no. 85), 11 October 2027 (no. 114) and 31 December 2027 (nos. 604–608).12,13,14 The 2019 release calls the Bababudangiris area the birthplace of coffee in India.10 The Bababudangiri application describes the coffee as selectively hand-picked; its data for the area give 15,000 ha under coffee (year not stated).21 The register uses the spellings “Wayanaad” and “Bababudangiris”; the applications write “Wayanad” and “Bababudangiri”.15,18,21,23

No source consulted for this entry shows whether any Indian coffee GI is protected in the European Union.

Monsooned coffee in detail#

Parameter Value Source
Raw material Cherry (unwashed, natural) coffee, arabica or robusta IS 407424
Place and season Malabar Coast, monsoon season; June–September between Mangalore and Kozhikode IS 407424, Coffee Board19
Layer depth 10–15 cm IS 407424
Raking About every 3 h Coffee Board19
Duration About 12–16 weeks IS 407424, Coffee Board19
Colour after monsooning Pale yellow to straw white IS 407424
Moisture at clearance from pool warehouses 13–14.5% by mass (basis not stated) IS 407424
Grades Monsooned Malabar AAA, AA, A, Arabica Triage, Robusta AA, Robusta Triage IS 407424
Sieve, AAA 90% by mass retained on 7.50 mm IS 407424
Sieve, AA and Robusta AA 90% by mass retained on 7.10 mm IS 407424
Sieve, A 75% by mass retained on 6.70 mm IS 407424
Total defects AA ≤ 2% by mass; Robusta AA ≤ 3% by mass IS 407424

IS 4074 gives sieve apertures in millimetres, not screen numbers.24 Green coffee grading describes the ICO’s moisture exception for monsooned coffee.

Moulds. A 2002 laboratory study compared four monsooned and non-monsooned coffees.35 Bacteria were most numerous on the monsooned coffees; fungi were fewer and found mainly on monsooned beans, mostly Aspergillus species including A. ochraceus.35 The authors conclude that monsooned coffee may carry more spoilage moulds, including species that can form mycotoxins.35 The abstract reports no toxin measurement. Ochratoxin A and processing defects give the background.

Research institute and varieties#

Variety Species Origin as described Year Leaf rust Source
S.795 C. arabica S.288 (liberica-introgressed line) × Kents; bred by CCRI Not given by WCR Low resistance/susceptible (WCR rating); resistant in global trials, considered susceptible in India WCR30
Kent’s (Kents) C. arabica Selection for rust resistance that replaced Coorg Selection effort from 1911 Selected as resistant Talhinhas et al., citing earlier work28
Cauvery (Catimor) C. arabica Descendant of Caturra × Timor Hybrid Not given Not given Ram et al.29
Chandragiri C. arabica CCRI release 2007 Tolerant to all known races (Coffee Board) Coffee Board9
Sln.4, Sln.5, Sln.5B, Sln.9 C. arabica CCRI selections named in the GI applications Not given Not given Coffee Board20,22
S.274, Peradeniya C. canephora Robusta varieties named for Wayanad Not given Not given Coffee Board23
CxR C. congensis × C. canephora Interspecific cross Not given Not given Coffee Board23, Prakash et al.36

The CCRI regional stations date from 1946 (Chettalli), 1976 (near Chintapalli), 1977-78 (Chundale) and 1985 (near Diphu); the Board gives no year for Thandigudi.9 The United Planters’ Association of South India (UPASI), founded in 1892, took the first major step in organising coffee research, according to the Coffee Board.9

Leaf rust in India. The highest number of rust races is registered in India, according to a 2017 review citing earlier work.28 The review, citing earlier work, reports rust identified in India on genotypes resistant to all known races.28 Coffee leaf rust gives the wider history.

White stem borer. The white stem borer (Xylotrechus quadripes) is a major pest of arabica in India.33 Severe infestation has been observed on arabica more than on robusta, according to earlier work cited in a 2021 study in Karnataka.33 In the study’s own behavioural trials, beetles were attracted to both healthy arabica and robusta plants.33 The Coffee Board names the borer, with leaf rust, as the cause of the early arabica decline.8

Climate risk#

A 2015 global model projects that India’s arabica areas will become less suitable by the 2050s.34 It describes arabica as grown in southern India at up to 2,500 m.34 Suitable climates for arabica in India and Indochina would shift upward, from 400–1,500 m to 700–1,800 m.34 India would lose suitability below 1,200 m.34 The model covers arabica only. These are model projections, not forecasts by Coffearium.

Blossom showers that fail are a production risk; growers in Chikmagalur use sprinklers against it.32 No study consulted for this entry models robusta in India.

Reference values#

Parameter Value Source
Production, Coffee Board 373,000 t (final estimate 2025-26); 404,000 t (post-blossom estimate 2026-27) Coffee Board7
Production, USDA 6.43 million 60-kg bags (2025/26); 6.14 million forecast (2026/27) USDA1
Production, FAO 363,000 t (2024) FAO2,3
Share of world output 3.6% (2025/26, USDA); 3.3% (2024, FAO); our calculation USDA1, FAO3
Species Robusta 262,000 t, arabica 111,000 t (2025-26) Coffee Board7
Largest districts Kodagu 121,185 t; Chikkamagaluru 94,760 t; Wayanad 68,800 t; Hassan 40,750 t (2025-26) Coffee Board7
Area 479,669 ha planted; 432,528 ha bearing (2022-23) Coffee Board6
Productivity 814 kg/ha (2022-23, Coffee Board); 739 kg/ha (2024, FAO) Coffee Board6, FAO4
Holdings 442,753; 439,891 under 10 ha (2024-25) Coffee Board7
Workers 683,018 on an average day (2022-23, provisional) Coffee Board6
Harvest Arabica November–January; robusta December–February USDA5
Blossom showers February–March (Chikmagalur); backing showers April–May Madhura et al.32
Share washed About 80% of arabica, 20% of robusta USDA5
Monsooning June–September, about 12–16 weeks, moisture 13–14.5% at clearance (basis not stated) IS 407424, Coffee Board19
Exports 6.03 million bags (2025/26, USDA); 396,346 t, USD 1,120 million (FY 2022-23, Coffee Board) USDA1, Coffee Board6
Domestic consumption 1.575 million bags (2025/26, USDA); 96,000 t (2024, Coffee Board study) USDA1, Coffee Board7
GIs Seven: two in 2008, five in 2019 GI Registry12,14
Coffee Act Act 7 of 1942, 2 March 1942 Act25
Pooling ended 1996 Coffee Board8
CCRI Founded 1925 as the Mysore Coffee Experimental Station; renamed 1946 Coffee Board9

Open questions#

  • The first seeds. The Baba Budan story is dated to 1600 or 1670 by official pages, without a cited primary record (see Contested).8,26,27
  • Early plantations. No peer-reviewed history consulted dates the first British plantations in Karnataka, Kerala or Tamil Nadu; the Coffee Board’s “18th century” is undocumented on its page.8
  • Altitudes. The GI applications give two altitude ranges for most coffees, and no measured survey of plantation altitudes was consulted.20,21,22,23
  • Variety shares. No source consulted gives the area under S.795, Chandragiri, Cauvery, S.274 or CxR, or the parentage and release year of Sln.9, S.274 and CxR.
  • Recent statistics. The Coffee Board’s July 2024 database and the 2026 USDA India Coffee Annual could not be accessed; area and holdings by district rest on 2022-23.6
  • Monsooned coffee and ochratoxin A. No study consulted measured ochratoxin A in monsooned coffee.35
  • EU protection. Whether any Indian coffee GI is registered in the European Union could not be established.

Key studies#

Boreux et al., 2016 – Shade, irrigation and liming in Kodagu. Surveyed management and yields on 113 robusta agroforestry plantations in Kodagu in 2008. Native shade trees raised berry production slightly, while irrigation and liming raised it by 16% and 20%. Silver oak, an introduced shade tree, carries pepper vines.

Agronomy for Sustainable Development 36(3), 42 · doi:10.1007/s13593-016-0377-7

Rajus et al., 2021 – Behaviour of the white stem borer. Studied how the white stem borer, a major pest of arabica in India, finds its host, in Karnataka in 2015–2019. Beetles were drawn to both arabica and robusta, and host plant volatiles played a key role.

Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution 9, 607555 · doi:10.3389/fevo.2021.607555

Ahmad and Magan, 2002 – Microbes on monsooned coffee. Compared bacteria, fungi and enzyme activity in monsooned and non-monsooned arabica and robusta. Bacteria were most numerous on monsooned coffees, fungi were found mainly on monsooned beans (mostly *Aspergillus* species), and the authors conclude that monsooned coffee may carry more spoilage moulds.

Letters in Applied Microbiology 34(4), 279–282 · doi:10.1046/j.1472-765x.2002.01080.x

Ovalle-Rivera et al., 2015 – Arabica suitability under climate change. Modelled climatic suitability for arabica in the main producing regions by the 2050s. India’s arabica areas become less suitable, the suitable band moves up to 700–1,800 m, and land below 1,200 m loses suitability.

PLOS One 10(4), e0124155 · doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0124155

Contested
  • Size of the crop: the Coffee Board’s final estimate for coffee year 2025-26 is 373,000 t7; USDA gives 6.43 million 60-kg bags for marketing year 2025/26 (October–September), which is 385,800 t (our calculation)1,5; FAO gives 363,000 t for calendar year 2024.3 The three are made on different bases and periods.
  • Date of the Baba Budan seeds: “1600 AD” on the Coffee Board’s history page and “around 1600 AD” in a 2025 government release8,11; 1670 on the Chikkamagaluru district administration’s page26; “about the 17th Centuary” in the Coffee Board’s 2017 GI application, citing the Mysore Gazetteer21; “believed to have been introduced into India in the early 17th century” in a 1994 paper from the Central Coffee Research Institute.29 A 2024 genome study, citing earlier work, places the smuggling of the “seven seeds” out of Yemen around 1600.27 None of these cites a primary record of the event.
  • Altitudes in the GI applications: each 2017 Coffee Board application gives one range in its specification and a different one in the data block for the area. Chikmagalur Arabica 1,000–1,100 m (specification) and 700–1,200 m (given for the district), while the map note in the same application describes the production area as below 1,000 m20; Bababudangiri Arabica 1,500–2,000 m and 1,000–1,500 m21; Coorg Arabica 750–1,100 m and 900–1,100 m22; Wayanad Robusta 700–2,100 m and 600–900 m.23 The texts were read as scanned copies.
Share or cite this entry

Sources

  1. AUSDA Foreign Agricultural Service (2026). Coffee: World Markets and Trade (July 2026). United States Department of Agriculture, Foreign Agricultural Service.Quoted passage: data; USDA FAS PSD tables, India, marketing years 2021/22–2026/27; July 2026 edition.
  2. AFood and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO); processed by Our World in Data (2026). Coffee bean production (FAOSTAT, Crops and livestock products, item Coffee, green). FAO via Our World in Data.Quoted passage: data; FAOSTAT green coffee production, India, calendar years 1961–2024.
  3. AFood and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2026). FAOSTAT: Crops and livestock products (item “Coffee, green”, element “Production”, 2024). FAO, licence CC BY 4.0.Quoted passage: data; FAOSTAT 2024 extract, 78 countries and territories.
  4. AFood and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO); processed by Our World in Data (2026). Coffee bean yields; Coffee bean production (FAOSTAT, Crops and livestock products, item Coffee, green). FAO via Our World in Data.Quoted passage: data; FAOSTAT green coffee yield, India, 1961–2024.
  5. ASood, D.; Beillard, M. J. (USDA Foreign Agricultural Service, Mumbai) (2023). India: Coffee Annual 2023 (IN2023-0033). USDA Foreign Agricultural Service, GAIN report.Quoted passage: a description; USDA post report on India, May 2023.
  6. ABabu Reddy, D. R. (Market Intelligence Unit, Coffee Board) (2023). Database on Coffee (July 2023). Coffee Board of India, Bengaluru.Quoted passage: data; Coffee Board statistics, coffee years and financial years to 2022-23.
  7. ACoffee Board of India (2026). Coffee Statistics. Coffee Board of India (coffeeboard.gov.in).Quoted passage: data; Coffee Board production estimates 2025-26 and 2026-27; holdings 2024-25.
  8. A/BCoffee Board of India About Us. Coffee Board of India (coffeeboard.gov.in).Quoted passage: a description; Coffee Board institutional history page, undated.
  9. ACoffee Board of India Research. Coffee Board of India (coffeeboard.gov.in).Quoted passage: a description; Coffee Board research institutes and variety releases, undated page.
  10. APress Information Bureau, Ministry of Commerce and Industry (2019). GI Certification for five varieties of Indian coffee. Press Information Bureau, Government of India.Quoted passage: a description; Government of India release on the 2019 coffee GIs.
  11. APress Information Bureau (2025). Brewing Prosperity: “India’s Coffee Story from Farm to Global Fame”. Press Information Bureau, Government of India.Quoted passage: a description; Government of India backgrounder on coffee, November 2025.
  12. AGeographical Indications Registry, Government of India Monsooned Malabar Arabica Coffee (GI application no. 85). Intellectual Property India, GI public search.Quoted passage: data; GI register record.
  13. AGeographical Indications Registry, Government of India Monsooned Malabar Robusta Coffee (GI application no. 114). Intellectual Property India, GI public search.Quoted passage: data; GI register record.
  14. AGeographical Indications Registry, Government of India Coorg Arabica Coffee (GI application no. 604). Intellectual Property India, GI public search.Quoted passage: data; GI register record.
  15. AGeographical Indications Registry, Government of India Wayanaad Robusta Coffee (GI application no. 605). Intellectual Property India, GI public search.Quoted passage: data; GI register record.
  16. AGeographical Indications Registry, Government of India Chikmagalur Arabica Coffee (GI application no. 606). Intellectual Property India, GI public search.Quoted passage: data; GI register record.
  17. AGeographical Indications Registry, Government of India Araku Valley Arabica Coffee (GI application no. 607). Intellectual Property India, GI public search.Quoted passage: data; GI register record.
  18. AGeographical Indications Registry, Government of India Bababudangiris Arabica Coffee (GI application no. 608). Intellectual Property India, GI public search.Quoted passage: data; GI register record.
  19. A/BCoffee Board, Ministry of Commerce and Industry (2007). Application for registration of a geographical indication: Monsooned Malabar Arabica Coffee (Form GI-1, application GI-85). Filed with the Geographical Indications Registry, Chennai; scanned copy hosted by oriGIn (Organization for an International Geographical Indications Network).Quoted passage: a description; Coffee Board GI specification for Monsooned Malabar Arabica, 2007.
  20. ACoffee Board, Ministry of Commerce and Industry (2017). Application for registration of a geographical indication: Chikmagalur Arabica (Form GI-1(A)). Filed with the Geographical Indications Registry, Chennai; scanned copy hosted by oriGIn.Quoted passage: a description; Coffee Board GI specification for Chikmagalur Arabica, 2017.
  21. A/BCoffee Board, Ministry of Commerce and Industry (2017). Application for registration of a geographical indication: Bababudangiri Arabica (Form GI-1(A)). Filed with the Geographical Indications Registry, Chennai; scanned copy hosted by oriGIn.Quoted passage: a description; Coffee Board GI specification for Bababudangiri Arabica, 2017.
  22. ACoffee Board, Ministry of Commerce and Industry (2017). Application for registration of a geographical indication: Coorg Arabica (Form GI-1(A)). Filed with the Geographical Indications Registry, Chennai; scanned copy hosted by oriGIn.Quoted passage: a description; Coffee Board GI specification for Coorg Arabica, 2017.
  23. ACoffee Board, Ministry of Commerce and Industry (2017). Application for registration of a geographical indication: Wayanad Robusta (Form GI-1). Filed with the Geographical Indications Registry, Chennai; scanned copy hosted by oriGIn.Quoted passage: a description; Coffee Board GI specification for Wayanad Robusta, 2017.
  24. ABureau of Indian Standards (2019). IS 4074:2019 Grading for Monsooned Coffee – Specification (Third Revision). Bureau of Indian Standards, New Delhi (copy hosted by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India).Quoted passage: a definition; Indian national standard for monsooned coffee grades, 2019.
  25. AGovernment of India (1942). The Coffee Act, 1942 (Act No. 7 of 1942). Text read on FAOLEX (FAO); metadata on India Code.Quoted passage: data; Indian federal statute on coffee, 1942, as amended.
  26. A/BDistrict Administration Chikkamagaluru, Government of Karnataka About District – Chikmagalur. National Informatics Centre (chikkamagaluru.nic.in).Quoted passage: a description; District administration page, undated.
  27. ASalojärvi, J.; Rambani, A.; Yu, Z.; Guyot, R.; et al. (2024). The genome and population genomics of allopolyploid Coffea arabica reveal the diversification history of modern coffee cultivars. Nature Genetics 56(4), 721–731.Quoted passage: a result cited from earlier work; Genome study of C. arabica; India sentence cites earlier work.
  28. ATalhinhas, P.; Batista, D.; Diniz, I.; Vieira, A.; Silva, D. N.; Loureiro, A.; Tavares, S.; Pereira, A. P.; Azinheira, H. G.; Guerra-Guimarães, L.; Várzea, V.; Silva, M. C. (2017). The coffee leaf rust pathogen Hemileia vastatrix: one and a half centuries around the tropics. Molecular Plant Pathology 18(8), 1039–1051.Quoted passage: a result cited from earlier work; Review of coffee leaf rust; India statements cite earlier work.
  29. ARam, A. S.; Prakash, N. S.; Jyothi, D. P.; Mishra, M. K.; Srinivasan, M. S.; Naidu, R. (1994). Augmentation and Utilization of Coffee Germplasm in India. Indian Journal of Plant Genetic Resources 7(1), 23–29.Quoted passage: a description; CCRI germplasm review, 1994 (OCR copy).
  30. A/BWorld Coffee Research S795. World Coffee Research, Arabica Coffee Varieties catalogue.Quoted passage: data; WCR variety catalogue entry.
  31. ABoreux, V.; Vaast, P.; Madappa, L. P.; Cheppudira, K. G.; Garcia, C.; Ghazoul, J. (2016). Agroforestry coffee production increased by native shade trees, irrigation, and liming. Agronomy for Sustainable Development 36(3), 42. doi:10.1007/s13593-016-0377-7 · other copiesQuoted passage: the authors’ own result; Survey of robusta agroforests, Kodagu, 2008.
  32. AMadhura, H. V.; Chinnappa Reddy, B. V.; Chandrashekar, H. (2017). Rainfall Induced Production Risk in Coffee Crop and Mitigation Strategies Adopted by Farmers: An Economic Analysis. Agricultural Economics Research Review 30(2), 293–298.Quoted passage: the authors’ own result; Farm survey, Chikmagalur district, 2008-09.
  33. ARajus, S.; Bhagavan, S. G.; Kharva, H.; Rao, S.; Olsson, S. B. (2021). Behavioral Ecology of the Coffee White Stem Borer: Toward Ecology-Based Pest Management of India's Coffee Plantations. Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution 9, 607555. doi:10.3389/fevo.2021.607555 · other copiesQuoted passage: the authors’ own result; Behavioural study of the white stem borer, Karnataka, 2015–2019.
  34. AOvalle-Rivera, O.; Läderach, P.; Bunn, C.; Obersteiner, M.; Schroth, G. (2015). Projected Shifts in Coffea arabica Suitability among Major Global Producing Regions Due to Climate Change. PLOS One 10(4), e0124155. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0124155 · other copiesQuoted passage: the authors’ own result; Global suitability model for arabica, 2050s.
  35. AAhmad, R.; Magan, N. (2002). Microfloral contamination and hydrolytic enzyme differences between monsooned and non-monsooned coffees. Letters in Applied Microbiology 34(4), 279–282. doi:10.1046/j.1472-765x.2002.01080.x · other copiesQuoted passage: the authors’ own result; Laboratory comparison of four monsooned and non-monsooned coffees.
  36. APrakash, N. S.; Devasia, J.; Raghuramulu, Y.; Aggarwal, R. K. (2016). Genetic Diversity and Coffee Improvement in India. In: Rajpal, V. R.; Rao, S. R.; Raina, S. N. (eds), Molecular Breeding for Sustainable Crop Improvement, Sustainable Development and Biodiversity 11, Springer, Cham, pp. 231–268. doi:10.1007/978-3-319-27090-6_11 · other copiesQuoted passage: a description; CCRI breeding chapter, abstract and abbreviations only.

Tier A · authoritative · B · trade and expert · C · general. Supporting quotes for every source are in the data version of this entry. If a publisher’s site refuses access, try the doi link or “other copies”.

The literature for this entry was last searched on 3 Nov 2026. A statement that no source consulted for this entry shows something refers to the sources above; newer or missing work may exist.

Suggest a change

On India. Tell us what you would change and why. A source that supports it helps most.