India has become the seventh-largest coffee producer globally, with its exports reaching $1.29 billion in the fiscal year 2023-24. This marks a significant increase from the $719.42 million in exports recorded during 2020-21, as reported by the Commerce Ministry.

The surge in India's coffee exports can be attributed to the growing global demand for the country's distinct and high-quality coffee flavours. In the first half of January 2025 alone, India exported over 9,300 tonnes of coffee, with major buyers including Italy, Belgium and Russia. Around 75% of India's coffee production consists of Arabica and Robusta beans, most of which are exported as unroasted beans.

Additionally, there has been a rising demand for value-added products such as roasted and instant coffee, further boosting India's coffee export industry.

Coffee consumption in India has steadily risen due to the growth of café culture, increasing disposable incomes and a shift in preference from tea to coffee. This trend is evident in urban and rural areas, with domestic consumption growing from 84,000 tonnes in 2012 to 91,000 tonnes in 2023. This increase highlights a significant change in drinking habits, with coffee becoming integral to daily life.

India’s coffee is mainly cultivated in the ecologically diverse Western and Eastern Ghats, regions known for their rich biodiversity. Karnataka leads the production, contributing 248,020 million tonnes in 2022-23, followed by Kerala and Tamil Nadu. These regions are home to shaded coffee plantations that not only support the coffee industry but also contribute to the preservation of the environment, helping maintain the ecological balance in these biodiversity-rich areas.

India’s coffee history dates back centuries when a Sufi saint, Baba Budan, introduced seven Mocha seeds to Karnataka’s hills in the 1600s. By planting them in the courtyard of his hermitage at Baba Budan Giri, he unknowingly set the stage for India’s rise as a global coffee producer. Over the years, the cultivation of coffee in India has evolved from a modest practice to a thriving industry, with Indian coffee now widely appreciated worldwide.