☕ All About CoffeeFarm & Beans
🌿 Farming & Harvesting
🌳 The shade slider
Illustrative; the right shade depends on site and variety.
Core farming steps
🌱 Nursery & seedlings
What/why: Seedlings are raised from selected seed before field planting.
How: Use healthy seed or plants from reliable sources, and harden seedlings by gradually reducing shade before planting.
🇮🇳 Check with the Coffee Board or CCRI for recommended varieties and planting material.
📏 Spacing & planting
What/why: Spacing sets plant numbers, airflow and light.
How: Spacing differs between Arabica and Robusta and between estates.
🇮🇳 Spacing varies with variety, slope and shade; follow Board advice.
🌳 Shade management
What/why: A two-tier mixed canopy gives filtered shade.
How: Keep regulated shade by lopping; avoid mono-shade. The Board recommends a two-tier shade canopy; Arabica needs more shade than Robusta.
🇮🇳 Unlike in many Latin American countries, Indian coffee is usually grown under a mixed shade canopy. Shade trees are commonly planted in June–July.
✂️ Pruning
What/why: Pruning shapes and renews the bush.
How: Light pruning every year after harvest keeps the plant's framework; handling, centering and desuckering are done mainly in June–July.
🇮🇳 Avoid excessive centering in Arabica, which can expose the stem to borer attack.
💧 Nutrition & water
What/why: Soil fertility and moisture drive flowering and cherry growth.
How: Base fertiliser on soil tests and official advice. Leaf litter and pruning residues help soil organic matter.
🇮🇳 Ask the Board or CCRI about soil testing and local nutrient advice.
🧺 Post-harvest handling
What/why: Quality is protected by clean picking and prompt processing.
How: Use picking mats to reduce gleanings, and remove off-season berries and gleanings.
🇮🇳 Wet processing gives 'Plantation/parchment coffee'; dry processing gives 'Cherry coffee' (Coffee Board).
Pest & disease watch (India)
A serious pest of Arabica; infested plants show ridges around the stem.
Maintain optimum shade, remove loose scaly bark with a coir glove, trace and destroy affected plants, and follow the Board's monthly advisory.
A pinhole at the tip of the berry shows its presence.
Use picking mats, and remove off-season berries and gleanings.
A major Arabica disease caused by Hemileia vastatrix; it causes leaf loss.
In affected blocks, use grafted plants (Arabica on Robusta rootstock) and follow Board spray advisories.
⚠️ Use chemicals only as directed by the Coffee Board / CCRI advisories.
🧺 Harvesting methods
| Method | Pros | Cons |
|---|---|---|
| Selective (by hand) | Only ripe cherries; higher quality potential | Labour-intensive and costlier |
| Strip picking | Faster and cheaper | Mixes ripeness; sorting needed |
| Mechanical | Less labour on large, flat farms | Hard on slopes; may pick unripe cherries |
🍒 Pick only the ripe ones
Tap only the red (ripe) cherries, then check. The Coffee Board notes that for both wet and dry methods, picking just-ripe fruit is essential.
Sources & References
OFFICIALCoffee Board of India: Planter information
EXPERT/EDUCATIONALIndian agronomy guides (spacing and shade figures are typical, not rules).
Practices vary by region, variety and season; follow current Coffee Board advisories. Last updated: Oct 2026.
⚙️ Processing Lab: Cherry → Green Bean
Pick a method, then step through it. The picture shows the cherry's layers being removed.
1. Sort & float
| Method | Drying time* | Typical tendency** |
|---|---|---|
| Washed | ~1–2 weeks | Clean, bright cup; usually more water |
| Natural | Several weeks (up to ~4) | Fruity, heavier body; least water, more monitoring |
| Honey | ~1–3 weeks | Middle path: sweetness and balance |
*Approximate; depends on weather and farm. **A tendency, not a guarantee: the same method can taste different. Target moisture after drying is roughly 10–12%.
🇮🇳 Indian context
In Indian trade, washed Arabica is commonly called "Plantation" and natural "Cherry" (Robusta: "Parchment" and "Cherry"). Please confirm terminology with the Coffee Board. Monsooned Malabar is a separate specialty process (see the India map above).
Sources & References
EXPERT/EDUCATIONALTrade and educational guides on processing (several roaster and importer guides agree on the general steps and the ~10–12% moisture target).
INDUSTRYSpecialty Coffee Association · OFFICIALCoffee Board of India
Fermentation times, drying days and honey-grade names differ by farm and region. Experimental methods are emerging, so their results are not guaranteed. Last updated: Oct 2026.
🫘 Green Coffee & Quality
🔎 Green grading simulator
Compared with the traditional SCA physical standard (350 g sample). For learning, not certification.
- ✅ Primary defects must be zero
- ✅ Secondary defects at most 5
- ✅ Moisture about 10–12%
Meets the physical standard
Specialty grade also needs a sensory score. This is a simplified learning tool.
📏 Screen size
Bean structure · बीन की बनावट
A green bean is the seed: a dense endosperm (the part that is roasted) with a thin silverskin and a centre cut. Most cherries hold two flat-sided beans; a single rounded bean is called a peaberry.
Moisture & water activity · नमी और वॉटर एक्टिविटी
Dried green coffee is usually held at about 10–12% moisture. Too wet risks mould; too dry can age faster. One summary also cites water activity below about 0.70 as a stability check.
Density & screen size · घनत्व और स्क्रीन साइज़
Screen size is bean diameter in 1/64 inch, and it helps with roast evenness and trade grading but does not decide cup quality by itself. Density is often linked with altitude, but that is a tendency, not a guarantee.
Defects · दोष
Primary (Category 1) defects, such as full black or full sour beans, are the serious ones. Secondary defects include broken or partly damaged beans. Defects are counted as full-defect equivalents: one guide says 10 broken beans count as 2.
Storage & transport · भंडारण और परिवहन
Keep it cool, dry and ventilated, away from strong smells. Moisture swings and condensation inside shipping containers can harm quality, so ask what packaging protects the lot.
Quality evaluation · गुणवत्ता का मूल्यांकन
Quality is judged by physical grading of the green coffee and by sensory cupping of the roasted coffee. Physical grading alone is not enough.
Indian grades · भारतीय ग्रेड
Indian trade uses its own grade names for Arabica and Robusta. Check the Coffee Board for current grade definitions rather than relying on a general summary.
🔗 The coffee value chain
Farmer
Processor / mill
Curing works (India)
Exporter
Importer
Trader
Roaster
Brand
Distributor
Café / retail
Consumer
Adds: Grows and picks the cherry.
Main risks: Weather, pests and price swings.
Sources & References
INDUSTRYSCA green-grading and defect protocols, as summarised by several roaster and importer guides (350 g sample, 10–12% moisture, 1/64-inch screens).
Indian grade names and rules: check the Coffee Board. Last updated: Oct 2026.
⭐ Specialty Coffee
What it traditionally means · परंपरागत अर्थ
Widely used: a coffee scoring 80 or more on the SCA 100-point cupping scale, with zero primary defects and no more than five secondary defects in a 350 g green sample. This is the older, well-known definition.
Current frameworks · वर्तमान ढाँचे
The SCA has also introduced the Coffee Value Assessment (CVA), a newer way to describe and evaluate coffee. Some sources report SCA standards were updated recently, so check the SCA for what is current rather than relying on older summaries.
Traceability & lots · ट्रेसेबिलिटी और लॉट
Specialty coffee often comes with information about the producer, farm or group, and a lot or micro-lot. This helps buyers verify quality claims and helps producers be recognised.
Producer value · उत्पादक का मूल्य
Higher quality can support higher prices, but how much reaches the farmer depends on contracts and transparency. Ask what is paid and to whom.
Sustainability & transparency · स्थायित्व और पारदर्शिता
Many specialty buyers look at social and environmental practices too, but 'specialty' does not by itself guarantee sustainability. See the Sustainability section for what to ask.
Sources & References
INDUSTRYSpecialty Coffee Association
Definitions and standards change; check the SCA for current documents. Last updated: Oct 2026.
🌱 Coffee Varieties: A Guide
A variety is a named type within a species, such as an Arabica variety. Names, parentage and performance are checked by breeders and variety catalogues; this page is a plain-language orientation, not a buying or planting recommendation. What grows well depends on altitude, climate, soil, disease pressure and management.
Species and variety: the difference
- Species: Coffea arabica (Arabica) and Coffea canephora (Robusta) supply nearly all commercial coffee. Liberica and Excelsa are minor.
- Variety: a named type inside a species, such as Typica or SL28. A variety is not the same as a region, a farm or a brand.
- World Coffee Research states that most Arabica coffees descend from two lines, Typica and Bourbon. Later varieties are selections, mutations or crosses.
Well-known Arabica lines (global)
- Typica and Bourbon: the two historic lines that many other varieties descend from.
- Caturra: widely described as a natural mutation of Bourbon, first noted in Brazil. It is compact, which suits closer planting.
- Catuaí: a cross of Mundo Novo and Caturra, bred at the Instituto Agronômico (IAC) in Brazil.
- SL28 and SL34: selections made in Kenya by Scott Agricultural Laboratories (the "SL" stands for Scott Laboratories), best known from Kenyan coffee.
- Geisha (also written Gesha): an Ethiopian landrace named after the Gesha area. It became widely known through Panama; see our Panama notes in History, India & World.
Rust-resistance crosses (Timor Hybrid line)
- Timor Hybrid (Híbrido de Timor): a natural cross between Arabica and Robusta, used by breeders as a source of leaf-rust tolerance.
- Catimor: a cross of Caturra and Timor Hybrid. Sarchimor: a cross of Villa Sarchí and Timor Hybrid. Both groups are listed in the World Coffee Research catalogue.
- Disease tolerance is not the same as cup quality. Results differ by site and by selection, so growers should look at local trial data.
Indian varieties (from the Coffee Board of India)
- Kents: described by the Board as the earliest Arabica variety, selected by an English planter of that name in the 1920s, known for exceptional cup quality.
- S.795: described as by far the most popular Arabica selection released in the 1940s, with relative tolerance to leaf rust and a balanced cup.
- Cauvery: popularly known as Catimor, a descendant of Caturra and Hybrido-de-Timor.
- SLN.9: derived from a cross of Tafarikela and Hybrido-de-Timor.
- Robusta selections named by the Board include S.274, CxR and Peridenia.
- The Board lists the main varieties for each region (for example S.795, Cauvery and SLN.9 in several Arabica regions) on its Coffee Regions page.
Robusta (Coffea canephora)
- World Coffee Research says Robusta originated in the forests of western sub-Saharan Africa and that commercial cultivation began around 1870 in Congo.
- Its varieties are far fewer and less documented than Arabica varieties; ask for local trial data.
Questions to ask before choosing a variety
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Read the catalogues themselves
⚠️ Parentage and release details come from breeders and catalogues, and they are sometimes recorded differently. Verify with the Board or the catalogue before planting. No yield or income figures are given.
🌿 Growing Coffee: Agronomy Basics (India focus)
Practical points explained in our own words from the Coffee Board of India's Central Coffee Research Institute (CCRI) planter guide (2008 English edition, so some advice may have been updated) and from Kerala Agricultural University pages. Local conditions differ, so treat this as orientation and follow current Coffee Board advisories and your extension officer. No chemical doses are given here; always follow the product label and local advice.
Climate, altitude and shade
- Kerala Agricultural University lists Arabica at about 1000 to 1500 m, roughly 15 to 25 °C and 1600 to 2500 mm of rain; Robusta at about 500 to 1000 m, roughly 20 to 30 °C and 1000 to 2000 mm.
- Other published sources give somewhat different "best" ranges, so these are guide values, not hard limits.
- The CCRI guide says coffee needs filtered shade to perform best under Indian conditions.
- The guide notes that estates above roughly 3500 feet (about 1070 m) are generally not hit by leaf rust in the dry season.
Soil and nutrition
- Both sources point to slightly acidic soil: the CCRI guide aims for a pH near 6.1, and Kerala Agricultural University gives 6.0 to 6.5, in deep, loose soil rich in organic matter.
- Liming with agricultural lime or dolomite is described as best done between November and February.
- Fertiliser is used more efficiently when placed around the plant rather than scattered over the whole field.
- Farm by-products such as fruit skin, mucilage and husks should be composted on the estate rather than dumped.
- No fertiliser schedule is given here because it depends on soil tests, age and yield. Ask the Board or your extension officer.
Nursery and planting
- The CCRI guide says selected, certified seed is sown in nursery beds in December or January.
- Seedlings of about 16 to 18 months are planted out in June to July, in pits filled with compost and rock phosphate.
- For tall Arabica the guide lists spacings such as 7×7, 7×6 or 6×6 feet; dwarf and semi-dwarf types are closer. We did not find an official Robusta spacing, so ask the Board.
- Young seedlings need shade to protect them from direct sun.
Training and pruning
- Single-stem training is the usual system for both Arabica and Robusta; multiple stems are mostly used when old fields are replanted.
- Pruning is usually held back until the first summer showers arrive; the CCRI guide mentions at least about 2 inches of rain.
- "Centring" means removing new shoots that appear very close to the main stem to open up the plant, and after main pruning the new flush is thinned (the guide mentions about two shoots per node).
- Mature plants may need a heavier pruning about once in four years, according to Kerala Agricultural University.
Main pests and diseases (management ideas only)
- Leaf rust: pale yellow spots appear on the underside of leaves and later turn into an orange-yellow powder; cool, humid, windy weather favours it. The guide describes spraying a freshly prepared Bordeaux mixture on the underside of leaves. Follow current Board advice and product labels.
- Coffee berry borer: use traps near the estate and drying yards, strip every fruit left on the plants after harvest, use picking mats, and treat or destroy damaged berries. The guide also mentions a biological spray (Beauveria bassiana).
- White stem borer: larvae tunnel into the trunk and roots and can kill young plants. Trace infested plants, uproot and burn them the same day. A Board leaflet describes bark cleaning, shade, pheromone traps and stem wrapping, with chemicals only as a last resort.
- Coffee berry disease (a fungus, Colletotrichum kahawae) is mainly an African problem. We found no official Indian source describing it, so we give no advice on it here.
Harvest and processing (CCRI guide)
- Pick fruit as it ripens rather than stripping the plant at once.
- Wet processing: pulp on the day of picking. The guide says cherries kept more than about 10 hours in an open heap before pulping can give a fruity cup. Arabica mucilage typically needs about 24 to 36 hours of fermentation (longer in cold weather) and is then washed several times.
- Drying: parchment is dried to about 11% moisture over roughly a week or more, avoiding the hottest sun on the 3rd and 4th day, which can wrinkle beans.
- Dry processing (cherry): dry for about 10 to 12 days on clean yards, not on mud or cow-dung-smeared floors.
- The guide states that wet processing is needed for superior quality, and that cherry coffee tends to taste fruity. This is the CCRI's view, and tastes differ.
Official links
⚠️ This page is education, not a farm plan. Agronomy changes with variety, altitude, weather and new research. Check the Coffee Board's current advisories and your extension officer before spending money or applying any chemical.
🏛️ Coffee Board of India: Role and Grower Services
What the Board is and how growers and exporters deal with it, summarised from the Board's own pages. Rules, schemes and portals change; the Board's website is the final word. No subsidy amounts or fees are listed here.
What the Board is
- The Coffee Board is a statutory body set up under the Coffee Act VII of 1942 and works under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry.
- Its core activities include research and development, transfer of technology to growers, and support for coffee marketing and exports.
- The Board says coffee is traditionally grown in the Western Ghats across Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu, and that about 65 to 70 percent of the coffee produced in India is exported (the page gives no year for that share).
- A government backgrounder (PIB, Nov 2025) reports record coffee exports of USD 1.8 billion in FY 2024-25.
For growers
- Grower registration is online: details are uploaded, extension staff verify them, and a Grower ID is issued. The Board's scheme guidelines say a grower registers online before applying for support.
- The Board's home page lists online services such as export permit, subsidy, curing licence, grower registration and exporter registration.
- The scheme named in recent guidelines was the Integrated Coffee Development Project (ICDP) for 2023-24 to 2025-26, with components for grower support, export promotion and market development, technology infusion, research and technology transfer, and child support. That period has ended, and we could not confirm a successor, so check the Board for what is current.
For exporters
- The Board registers exporters and issues an RCMC (Registration-cum-Membership Certificate). Its page says applications go through the NSWS portal and that registration is valid for three years.
- An Importer-Exporter Code (IEC) from the Directorate General of Foreign Trade is among the documents the Board asks for. We could not open the DGFT page, so confirm what the IEC needs on DGFT's site.
- The Board's checklist also mentions business papers such as audited accounts and a bank report. The checklist we saw was undated, so use the current form on the Board's site and do not rely on any fee quoted elsewhere.
- Changes in ownership, name or address must be reported to the Board within one month, according to its exporter page.
Official links
- Coffee Board: About us
- Coffee Board: grower registration
- Coffee Board: exporter registration
- Coffee Board: ICDP 2023-24 to 2025-26 guidelines
- Coffee Board: coffee statistics
- National Single Window System (NSWS): the Board says exporter RCMC applications go through this government portal (DPIIT, Ministry of Commerce and Industry)
⚠️ This is a summary of public pages on the dates we read them. It is not legal or financial advice and it does not promise any subsidy, licence or approval.
🏡 Coffee Farm Business
🧮 Farm economics: a learning calculator
Enter your own numbers. The example values are mine, for illustration only, not market data. Results are not a promise.
| Revenue per ha | ₹3,20,000 |
| Total cost per ha | ₹2,10,000 |
| Margin per ha | ₹1,10,000 |
| Whole-farm margin | ₹2,20,000 |
| Break-even price (₹/kg) | ₹263 |
| Break-even yield (kg/ha) | 525 |
Estimates only. Weather, pests, price and quality can change real results a lot. Excludes loans, tax and the initial planting cost.
⚖️ Cherry to green coffee
The ratio varies with variety, ripeness and drying. One study found immature cherry gave notably less green coffee, and over-drying also loses weight. A World Bank table lists roughly 16–21 kg of green beans per 100 kg of fresh cherry.
Key topics
Farm planning · फ़ार्म की योजना
Choose site, variety, shade, water and access. Coffee takes several years to reach full production, so plan the cash flow for that gap.
Plantation economics · बागान का अर्थशास्त्र
Costs include establishment (nursery, planting, shade) and yearly labour, inputs and processing. Revenue arrives late and prices swing, so keep a buffer.
Yield concepts · उपज की अवधारणाएँ
Always check whether a yield is quoted as fresh cherry, parchment or green coffee. Immature cherry and over-drying both reduce the green coffee you end up with.
Labour · मज़दूरी
Harvest is labour-heavy and timing matters. Selective picking needs repeat passes through the same plants, so train and plan pickers early.
Processing & drying · प्रोसेसिंग और सुखाई
Control sorting, fermentation and drying carefully, aiming for about 10–12% moisture. See the Processing Lab.
Storage · भंडारण
Store cool, dry and ventilated, away from strong smells, and watch moisture swings.
Quality improvement · गुणवत्ता सुधार
Pick ripe, sort, dry cleanly and keep records. Better quality can open better markets, but a premium is never guaranteed.
Direct trade · सीधा व्यापार
Selling straight to roasters needs consistent quality, samples, clear contracts and shipping know-how. “Direct trade” has no single official definition, so read the terms.
Value addition & roasting · मूल्यवर्धन और रोस्टिंग
Roasting and packaging your own coffee adds margin potential but also skills, equipment, labelling and licence work. Start small and use the Brand Builder.
Farm café & agritourism · फ़ार्म कैफ़े और कृषि-पर्यटन
Visitors can add income and tell your story, but need safety, hygiene, permissions and a plan for seasonal and weather-dependent demand.
Sustainability · स्थायित्व
Shade, soil care, water-wise processing and waste use can lower risk and cost over time. Make only claims you can prove. See the Sustainability section.
Verify Before You Act: check grower registration, marketing, export, FSSAI and tourism permissions with the Coffee Board and the relevant official bodies. No income is guaranteed.
📈 The value-addition ladder
1. Sell cherry
2. Process & sell parchment / cured
3. Sell graded green / specialty lots
4. Roast & grind
5. Build your own brand
6. Farm café & agritourism
The simplest route: sell harvested cherry. Handling is minimal.
You need: Reliable picking and a buyer.
Risks: Little control over quality premiums and price.
✅ Farm planning checklist
🏛️ Coffee Board support
The Coffee Board runs the Integrated Coffee Development Project (ICDP), covering research, extension, development support, market development, export promotion and value addition. Board documents mention support for traditional and non-traditional areas, rainfall insurance, small-grower groups, and support for roast-and-ground and curing units.
Eligibility, subsidy rates and procedures change, so no rates are given here. Check the latest notification on the Board's site.
OFFICIALCoffee Board of India · Example scheme notification (may be superseded)
Sources & References
OFFICIALWorld Bank (1985): Agro-Industry Profiles, Coffee. Old conversion tables, indicative only · EXPERT/EDUCATIONALTechnoServe: processing defect economic impact · Coffee Board of India
Conversion figures are from specific tables and studies and vary by farm. Last updated: Oct 2026.
🌱 Plantation Support
If you want to start growing coffee, this is a map of where to learn, register and ask for official support. We give information only: no consulting, no income promises, no nursery or product recommendations.
The path (tick as you go)
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What official support has covered
The Coffee Board's published scheme document for the XII Plan period (approved 2014) listed support types such as replantation, expansion or new planting, water augmentation, quality upgradation (for example pulpers and drying yards), eco-certification and interest subsidy, with separate components for non-traditional and North-East areas. Rates, eligibility and schemes have changed across periods, so this site shows no amounts. Open the Board's current scheme pages for what applies today.
What this site can and cannot do
- Can: explain the process, point to official pages, give checklists and questions to ask.
- Cannot: assess your land, promise yield or income, arrange loans or subsidies, or recommend a nursery or seller.
Official links
⚠️ Scheme amounts and eligibility change. Treat only the Coffee Board's current pages and offices as the final word.