Responding to a question raised by Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Minister of State for Commerce and Industry Jitin Prasada stated that exports had expanded significantly to destinations including the United Arab Emirates, Libya, Australia, South Korea, Egypt, Kuwait and the United Kingdom. New markets such as Djibouti, Micronesia and Timor-Leste also featured among the destinations.
The minister highlighted a series of initiatives undertaken by the Coffee Board to promote Geographical Indication (GI)-tagged coffees and support growers cultivating these specialised varieties, including those in the 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,” Prasada said in his written reply.
The Board organises GI coffee tasting sessions, Buyer-Seller Meets and participates in coffee-focused trade fairs as well as broader food and beverage events to enhance the visibility of these specialty coffees. Development support is also extended to growers, including small and tribal coffee farmers, under the Coffee Board’s Integrated Coffee Development Project (ICDP) scheme.
Data shared in the reply showed that the average export unit values of GI-registered Arabica and Robusta coffees rose by 34.36 per cent and 29.73 per cent respectively in FY2025–26 compared with the previous year. The increase reflects growing international recognition and premium positioning of India’s GI coffees.
Beyond coffee-specific efforts, the government continues wider initiatives to promote GI products. These include the organisation of the India GI Fair, GI Mahotsav and dedicated GI pavilions at national and international exhibitions.
Under the ICDP, the Coffee Board undertakes a range of promotional activities. These encompass participation in international trade fairs and events, capacity-building programmes, entrepreneurship development initiatives, coffee tasting sessions and barista skills training. The Board also focuses on generic branding of Indian coffee for premiumisation and the promotion of value-added coffees sold in retail packs that carry the ‘Coffees of India’ logo along with ‘Made in India’ marking.
To further raise the profile of GI coffees, the Board has developed Gourmet GI Coffee Gift Boxes in collaboration with Indian Missions abroad. These gift boxes aim to enhance both domestic and international visibility of India’s specialty coffees.
Since 2018–19, the Coffee Board has participated in 41 international fairs as part of its sustained effort to promote Indian coffees across different regions of the world.
The government’s reply underscores a multi-pronged strategy that combines market expansion, quality differentiation through GI registration, farmer support and active international promotion. By linking small and tribal growers to global value chains and emphasising unique regional characteristics such as Wayanad Robusta, the initiatives seek to improve both the volume and value of India’s coffee exports.
As global demand for differentiated and origin-specific coffees continues to grow, the combination of GI protection, targeted development schemes and consistent trade promotion positions Indian coffee for further gains in both traditional and new markets. The reported rise in unit values for GI Arabica and Robusta provides an early indication that these efforts are translating into better returns for the specialised segment of the industry.
Officials maintain that continued focus on quality, branding and market access will remain central to sustaining the momentum achieved in FY2025–26.
