Where is coffee grown in India?
6 min read
Most Indian coffee grows in the southern hills of the Western Ghats in Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu, with Karnataka alone growing about 70% of it. Smaller but rising regions include Araku Valley in Andhra Pradesh, Koraput in Odisha and several states in the Northeast. Almost all of it is shade-grown alongside pepper, cardamom and spice trees.
The traditional heartland
Coffee arrived in India in the Baba Budan hills of Karnataka and spread along the Western Ghats. These three southern states still grow nearly all of the country's coffee, from high arabica estates to low-lying robusta farms.
| State | Main regions | Known for |
|---|---|---|
| Karnataka | Chikmagalur, Baba Budangiri, Coorg, Sakleshpur, Biligiriranga Hills | The bulk of India's coffee; fine arabica and robusta |
| Kerala | Wayanad, Travancore | Robusta above all, plus some arabica |
| Tamil Nadu | Nilgiris, Shevaroys, Pulney Hills, Anamalais | High-grown arabica, often near tea gardens |
| Andhra Pradesh | Araku Valley | Tribal-grown arabica from the Eastern Ghats |
| Odisha | Koraput | Young arabica region next to Araku |
| Northeast | Several hill states | Small, emerging lots, still finding their voice |
What our catalog covers
| Region | Coffees | Roasters | Median per 100 g |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chikmagalur | 359 | 53 | ₹280 |
| Baba Budangiri | 107 | 24 | ₹250 |
| Coorg | 54 | 25 | ₹288 |
| Koraput | 47 | 12 | ₹300 |
| Sakleshpur | 33 | 14 | ₹320 |
| Araku Valley | 28 | 7 | ₹321 |
| Northeast | 21 | 7 | ₹320 |
| Shevaroys | 20 | 12 | ₹344 |
| Biligiriranga Hills | 17 | 10 | ₹244 |
| Pulney Hills | 14 | 10 | ₹400 |
| Wayanad | 7 | 6 | ₹192 |
| Nilgiris | 3 | 3 | ₹400 |
| Anamalais | 1 | 1 | ₹350 |
How the regions differ
- Chikmagalur and Baba Budangiri: classic arabica, chocolate and fruit, many experimental lots.
- Coorg: big volumes of robusta and arabica, often rich and spicy.
- Sakleshpur and Biligiriranga Hills: well-known estates making clean, sweet coffees.
- Wayanad: India's robusta heartland, bold and chocolatey.
- Nilgiris, Shevaroys, Pulney Hills and Anamalais: high, cool hills with bright, elegant arabica.
- Araku and Koraput: soft, sweet arabicas from smallholder farms in the east.
Region is one clue among many. Processing, roast and the individual estate often matter more to the cup than the district. Still, tasting across regions is a lovely way to learn.
Tip: Pick three coffees from three regions, all washed and all medium roast. Brew them the same way. The differences you notice are the region talking.
| Region | Coffees | Typical (median) | Middle half |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wayanad | 7 | ₹192 | ₹170–₹250 |
| Biligiriranga Hills | 14 | ₹244 | ₹200–₹308 |
| Baba Budangiri | 84 | ₹250 | ₹160–₹380 |
| Chikmagalur | 316 | ₹280 | ₹210–₹360 |
| Coorg | 49 | ₹288 | ₹220–₹358 |
| Koraput | 41 | ₹300 | ₹280–₹347 |
| Northeast | 19 | ₹320 | ₹224–₹400 |
| Sakleshpur | 33 | ₹320 | ₹240–₹480 |
| Araku Valley | 14 | ₹321 | ₹268–₹376 |
| Shevaroys | 17 | ₹344 | ₹264–₹380 |
| Pulney Hills | 13 | ₹400 | ₹339–₹500 |
Price per 100 g of beans or ground coffee, from 1,283 listings in the live catalog.
A tour in four bags
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Questions
Which state grows the most coffee in India?
Karnataka, which grows about 70% of the country's coffee, followed by Kerala and Tamil Nadu.
Is Indian coffee shade-grown?
Almost all of it. Estates keep a canopy of native trees, often with pepper, cardamom and orange grown among the coffee.
Which region is best?
There is no single best. Chikmagalur and Baba Budangiri are famous for arabica, Coorg and Wayanad for robusta, and the eastern regions are exciting newcomers.
When is harvest?
Broadly from around November to February for arabica, with robusta a little later.
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