‘Indian cuppa stirred global excitement like never before’

Bengaluru hosts 5th World Coffee Conference, showcasing India's commitment to coffee industry. 350 global experts from 80 countries impressed with India's professionalism. Focus on multi-layer sustainability, laws around child labour vary. India's coffee varietals, cupping quality, growing domestic market praised. India 7th largest producer, 4,00,000 tonnes in 2022-23.

Bengaluru India’s opportunity to host the 5th World Coffee Conference (WCC) and the first in Asia will firmly lodge the country in the international coffee markets, said Vanúsia Nogueira, Executive Director, International Coffee Organization (ICO), a London-based body set up under the aegis of the United Nations to highlight the economic importance of coffee.

Held between September 25 and 28, the conference in Bengaluru brought together roasters, exporters, blenders, cafe chain owners, growers, and manufacturers of coffee processing and coffee making machinery/equipment, start-ups and funders.

``These over 350 global coffee experts from 80 coffee growing and consuming countries, majority of whom are first time visitors to India as coffee buyers or business explorers, are extremely impressed with the kind of professionalism that India has in managing and growing its coffee industry,’‘ Ms. Nogueira told The Hindu.

ICO’s focus on multi-layers of sustainability

This year’s WCC theme was ‘‘Sustainability through Circular Economy and Regenerative Agriculture’‘.  Although “economic sustainability” was first spoken about in the coffee world way back in 1962, “social sustainability” has gathered multiple layers to include livelihood, farmers living conditions, environmental issues, child labour, women issues, human and labour rights and deforestation, said Ms. Nogueira. She said laws around child labour in the coffee growing sector varied across countries.

``Child labour at family-own plantations is a matter of discussion, especially when children also work in family run coffee plantations. In Brazil, child labour is strictly prohibited,’‘ added Ms. Nogueira, who comes from a family of coffee producers in Brazil.

Ms. Nogueira noted that the India’s coffee varietals, the cupping quality, a growing domestics market, industry’s commitment and active involvement from the government in expanding the sector, was much appreciated by WCC participants.