New Delhi: The government on Thursday said that Indian coffee was exported to more than 140 countries during FY2025–26, with a significant increase in coffee exports to emerging and expanding markets such as the United Arab Emirates, Libya, Australia, South Korea, Egypt, Kuwait and the United Kingdom and new markets such as Djibouti, Micronesia and Timor-Leste, etc.
Responding to a question by Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra in the Lok Sabha, Minister of State for Commerce and Industry, Jitin Prasada, wrote that the Coffee Board has undertaken several initiatives to promote GI-tagged coffee and support coffee growers for cultivating GI-registered coffees, including those in Wayanad Lok Sabha constituency.
“The ‘Wayanad Robusta Coffee’ is registered as Geographical Indication (GI). The Coffee Board is the Authorised User Registrar for GI-tagged coffees and conducts regular awareness programmes on GI user registration for all stakeholders across the coffee value chain,” the minister said.
The Board also organises GI coffee tasting sessions, Buyer-Seller Meets, and participates in coffee-centric trade fairs and food and beverage events to promote GI-tagged coffees.
“The initiatives also include development support to growers, including small and tribal coffee farmers under the Coffee Board’s ICDP scheme,” said the Union minister.
During FY2025–26, the average export unit values of GI-registered Arabica and Robusta coffees increased by 34.36 per cent and 29.73 per cent, respectively, compared to FY 2024–25.
The government undertakes several initiatives to enhance the visibility and marketability of GI products that include organising India GI fair, GI Mahotsav and GI Pavilions at national and international exhibitions.
Moreover, under the scheme ‘Integrated Coffee Development Project’ (ICDP), Coffee Board of India undertakes various activities for promotion of coffee that include participation in international trade fairs/events; capacity building programmes; entrepreneurship development programmes; organisation of coffee tasting sessions and training programmes on barista skills, along with generic branding of Indian coffee for premiumisation and promotion of value added coffees sold in retail packs, which have ‘Coffees of India’ logo and also depict the words indicating ‘Made in India’ on the retail packs.
Further, the Coffee Board also promotes GI coffees and has developed Gourmet GI Coffee Gift Boxes in collaboration with Indian Missions abroad to enhance the domestic and international visibility of Indian GI coffees, said Prasada.
In order to promote Indian coffees in different regions of the world, the Coffee Board has participated in 41 international fairs from 2018-19 onwards.
(IANS)
