Can Coffee ☕ Make a Comeback in Sri Lanka 🇱🇰?

⭕️Did you know? Sri Lanka 🇱🇰 was once a top coffee producer globally! By 1860, Sri Lanka, Brazil 🇧🇷, and Indonesia 🇮🇩 were the three largest coffee-producing nations worldwide.

⭕️At its peak in 1860s, Sri Lanka used to have 275,000 acres of coffee under cultivation, producing and exporting over 70,000 metric tons (4,000 containers), But the production plummeted by 1880 due to the devastating coffee leaf rust disease (Hemileia vastatrix), leading to the collapse of the industry by the 1890s.

⏩ Fast forward to the 21st century: Sri Lankan coffee is making a comeback!

🌱 Over the past 2 decades, there's been a resurgence in coffee production, particularly in specialty coffee. The high-altitude central highlands provide ideal conditions for growing high-quality Arabica. While Robusta has been dominant, Arabica production is increasing significantly driven by the increase in demand.

⭕️ The global output for coffee is expected to increase by 5.8% to 178 million bags in 2024 from 168.2 million bags in 2023, out of which Arabica coffee is expected to increase by 8.8%.

⭕️ Demand for high quality Arabica green beans continued to be strong in 2023 and prices remained high. However, there are growing threats to this booming industry, one of which is climate change.

⭕️ Climate change poses a significant threat to coffee cultivation worldwide. A study titled “Climate Change and Coffee in Sri Lanka’’ commissioned by Australia’s Market Development Facility @MDFGlobal, who has been working with Sri Lanka’s coffee industry since 2017 highlights the potential impacts on Sri Lanka 🇱🇰, noting specially the rising temperatures could shrink optimal growing regions, affecting yield and quality, and lead to increased pest outbreaks.

study: https://t.co/mSwR0YrrEa

#SriLanka #CoffeeComeback #ClimateChange