Global coffee exports touch record 113 m bags in 2012

Exports of coffee at a global level rose 8.2 per cent to a record 113 million bags in 2012 due to higher demand even as shipments from India declined during the year, according to International Coffee Organisation (ICO).

World coffee exports were to the tune of 104.57 million bags in 2011. One bag contains 60 kg of beans. India’s coffee exports fell 9.4 per cent to 5.28 million bags in 2012.

“Total exports in calendar year 2012 reached a record 113.1 million bags, 8.2 per cent higher than 2011, and predominantly fuelled by a high volume of robusta shipments,” ICO said in its report.
The strong export levels seen over the last couple of years also led to reduction in opening stocks in exporting countries. At the beginning of current crop year, total opening stocks were 15.3 million bags, compared to 18.2 million in the previous year, it said.

Robusta exports rose 24 per cent to 46.61 million bags in 2012 from 37.53 million bags in 2011,  but arabica shipments fell slightly to 66.52 million bags from 67.04 million bags in the review period.
The demand for robusta varieties rose because it is less expensive than Arabica and has higher caffeine content.

Brazil continued to maintain the world’s top coffee exporter slot in 2012 despite over 15 per cent decline in shipments, at 28.26 million bags as compared with 33.50 million bags in 2011 calendar year.

Shipments from other two major exporting nations Vietnam and Indonesia rose significantly.  Vietnam shipped 25.47 million bags of coffee beans in 2012 against 17.67 million bags in 2011. Indonesia’s exports were at 10.62 million bags in 2012, 72 per cent higher than 6.15 million bags in 2011.

Brazil, Vietnam and Indonesia are major producers of robusta coffee in the world.

Coffee exports from India declined 9.4 per cent to 5.28 million bags from 5.84 million bags in the review period, the ICO data showed.

In 2012-13 crop year, total world coffee production is estimated at 144.06 million bags as against 134.56 million bags in 2011-12.