South Indian coffee exports set to cross ₹18,000 crore, poised to hit $2 billion milestone

Bengaluru: India's coffee exports are set to cross the two billion dollar mark (about ₹18,000 crores) by the end of this financial year, March 31, 2026. With another one and a half months of the fiscal year left, it is expected that coffee exports will overtake last year's level of the $1.8 billion mark.

Southern States Dominate Coffee Production

The coffee industry in India is primarily concentrated in the coffee-growing states of Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Kerala, which collectively account for 96 per cent of the country's total coffee production. Karnataka alone accounts for 72 per cent of the total production.

Key Growing Regions in the South

In Karnataka, coffee is primarily grown in Coorg and the old Mysore region of Chikmagalur and Hassan districts. In Tamil Nadu, it is grown in Nilgiris and Coimbatore, and in Kerala, it is grown in the Palakkad region.

Production and Export Trends

According to the Coffee Board, Karnataka is estimated to produce 2,80,275 metric tonnes this year. During the last year 2024-25, India produced 3.63 lakh metric tonnes of coffee, of which 70 per cent was exported. Domestic consumption stood at 95,000 metric tonnes in 2023.

Top Global Markets for Indian Coffee

The top five export destinations for Indian coffee are Italy (18%), Germany (11%), Belgium (7%), Russia (5%) and the United Arab Emirates (5%).