Licht Sees Sharp Drop in 09/10 World Coffee Output

London, Dec 22 – World coffee production in 2009/10 is projected to fall to 127.0 million bags from 135.0 million in 2008/09, analyst F.O. Licht said on Tuesday.

“The outlook for 2009/10 offers a mixed picture at this time,” Licht said in a statement.

“The market will be in its low-production year of the biennial production cycle, with output significantly reduced in the Brazilian crop that was concluded around two months ago while the Vietnamese crop will also be down year-on-year.”

Colombia, the world’s number three coffee producer, suffered a disastrous crop in 2008/09, due to a combination of weather problems and a tree replanting programme.

Hopes were significantly high for a significant recovery in Colombian production this year.

“But this may prove to be wishful thinking as the main 2009/10 crop, which accounts for the better part of total output, started with similarly dismal crop figures as had been recorded in previous months,” Licht said.