A 12-year low Arabica coffee production due to pest damage, crop diseases and climatic conditions is driving up prices of a cup of cappuccino or latte served at popular cafes.
Leaf rust, white stem borer (small beetle), heavy rain, shortage of skilled labour to trace and remove infected plants have brought Arabica production down to 90,400 tonnes, the lowest since 2008-09 when production was at 79,500 mt, according to data from Bengaluru-based Coffee Board of India, an organization that promotes coffee.
Coffee shops, which were frequented by customers in pre-covid times, are not only having to deal with lower footfalls but are also wary of an imminent price rise that could further dent business recovery.
“Given Café Coffee Day’s experience in the plantation business, it knows the upcoming Arabica crop is likely to suffer innumerable issues ranging from multiple diseases, including white stem borer and fruit drop due to unseasonal rains, which may drive…
