Decline in Coffee Production for 2024-25

• Issue: Coffee Board of India hinted that coffee production for the 2024-25 season may see a significant decline.
• Reasons: Adverse weather conditions including high temperatures, heavy rainfall, and landslides.

Impact on Coffee Growing Regions:

• Karnataka:
  • Accounts for 70% of India’s total coffee production.
  • Suffered significant losses due to high temperatures during April-May and heavy rains in July-August.
• Kerala:
  • Second-largest coffee producer, contributing 23% to national production.
  • Wayanad: Over 200 acres of coffee plantation land was destroyed in a landslide, severely impacting this year’s production.

Response by Coffee Board:

• Action Taken:
  • Coffee Board has requested coffee-growing districts to form inter-disciplinary teams.
  • Objective: Conduct a comprehensive survey of plantations to assess the extent of damage and loss.

Significance for UPSC IAS Exam:

• Environmental Impact on Agriculture: The situation illustrates how climate change and extreme weather events affect agriculture, particularly cash crops like coffee.
• Agriculture and Economy: Understanding the economic impact of reduced coffee production on both local and national scales.
• Disaster Management: Examines the importance of preparedness and mitigation strategies in disaster-prone agricultural areas.

Multiple-choice questions (MCQs) 

1. Which state accounts for the highest percentage of India’s total coffee production?

a) Kerala

b) Tamil Nadu

c) Karnataka

d) Andhra Pradesh

Answer: c) Karnataka
Explanation: Karnataka accounts for 70% of India’s total coffee production, making it the largest coffee-producing state in the country.

2. What were the primary adverse weather conditions affecting coffee production in 2024-25?

a) Drought and high winds

b) High temperatures and heavy rainfall

c) Flooding and earthquakes

d) Frost and hailstorms

Answer: b) High temperatures and heavy rainfall
Explanation: The Coffee Board of India cited high temperatures during April-May and heavy rainfall in July-August as the primary reasons for the decline in coffee production.

3. What significant event in Wayanad led to a substantial loss of coffee plantations?

a) Earthquake

b) Landslide

c) Drought

d) Flood

Answer: b) Landslide
Explanation: A landslide in Wayanad, Kerala, washed away over 200 acres of land under coffee cultivation, severely impacting the region’s coffee production.

4. Which organization has requested coffee-growing districts to assess the damage to plantations?

a) Indian Meteorological Department (IMD)

b) Coffee Board of India

c) Ministry of Agriculture

d) National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA)

Answer: b) Coffee Board of India
Explanation: The Coffee Board of India has written to coffee-growing districts, asking them to form inter-disciplinary teams to conduct comprehensive surveys of plantations to assess losses.

5. What percentage of India’s total coffee production is contributed by Kerala?

a) 10%

b) 23%

c) 50%

d) 70%

Answer: b) 23%
Explanation: Kerala is the second-largest coffee-producing state in India, contributing 23% to the country’s total coffee production.

6. How are the coffee-growing districts expected to assess the losses in plantations?

a) By satellite imagery

b) By constituting inter-disciplinary teams

c) By relying on farmer reports

d) By using drones for aerial surveys

Answer: b) By constituting inter-disciplinary teams
Explanation: The Coffee Board of India has asked the coffee-growing districts to form inter-disciplinary teams to conduct comprehensive surveys to assess the damage to plantations.

7. Which of the following is NOT a reason for the anticipated decline in coffee production for 2024-25?

a) High temperatures

b) Heavy rainfall

c) Landslides

d) Pest infestation

Answer: d) Pest infestation
Explanation: The decline in coffee production is attributed to high temperatures, heavy rainfall, and landslides, with no mention of pest infestation as a factor.

8. What role does the Coffee Board of India play in response to the challenges faced by coffee growers?

a) It imports coffee to meet domestic demand

b) It conducts marketing campaigns for coffee

c) It assesses damage and coordinates disaster response

d) It regulates coffee prices

Answer: c) It assesses damage and coordinates disaster response
Explanation: The Coffee Board of India plays a crucial role in assessing the damage to coffee plantations and coordinating response efforts, such as forming teams to survey affected areas.

9. What is the potential impact of the decline in coffee production on the Indian economy?

a) Increase in coffee imports

b) Boost in coffee exports

c) Stabilization of coffee prices

d) Decrease in employment in the coffee sector

Answer: a) Increase in coffee imports
Explanation: A significant decline in domestic coffee production may lead to an increase in coffee imports to meet the demand, affecting the economy.

10. How does this issue highlight the relationship between climate change and agriculture?

a) It shows that climate change only affects large-scale agriculture

b) It demonstrates the resilience of coffee plants to adverse weather

c) It underscores the vulnerability of agriculture to extreme weather conditions

d) It indicates that climate change has minimal impact on cash crops

Answer: c) It underscores the vulnerability of agriculture to extreme weather conditions
Explanation: The decline in coffee production due to adverse weather conditions highlights the vulnerability of agriculture, particularly cash crops like coffee, to the effects of climate change.