Tree Coffee Is Having Its Climate Moment | India News

In the traditional belts of Kodagu, Chikkamagaluru and Hassan, planters speak of a calendar that no longer follows memory. Badra Estate Managing Director Jacob Mamen says climate change is already having a significant impact on the cultivation of traditional coffee varieties such as Arabica and Robusta coffee. The biggest challenge, he explains, comes from increasingly unpredictable weather patterns, particularly the timing and intensity of rainfall.Coffee plants depend on a very specific rain pattern to flower. A spell of rain initiates flowering and a “backup shower” about two weeks later helps the flowers set properly. In recent years, however, farmers have been facing erratic conditions – either too much rain, too little rain, or rain coming at the wrong time. It disrupts the flowering cycle and directly affects yield. Extreme weather events are becoming more frequent. Jacob notes that hailstorms last year destroyed the estate’s coffee blossoms, wiping out the crop in the affected areas. Untimely rains are also causing crop harvesting and quality problems. “Early rains, sometimes as early as January, can cause new blossoms to bloom while the trees are still ripe. When this happens, pickers must stop harvesting to avoid damaging the fresh blossoms. At the same time, the rain can spoil or dry out the ripe cherries, affecting the quality of the beans.”In a warm worldAgainst this backdrop, Jacob says there is growing interest in climate-resilient varieties such as Liberica coffee. Traditionally, Liberica was considered a fence-line crop and was not cultivated as a major plantation variety. In Badra, it is still grown as “tree coffee” along the border rather than replacing Arabica or Robusta in the fields. However, the estate has begun to reconsider this approach.Coffea liberica is considered to be more climate-resilient than other major coffee species such as Coffea arabica because of several natural characteristics. Liberica plants can withstand high temperatures and grow well in hot, humid tropical environments where Arabica often struggles. Plants develop deep and extensive root systems that allow them to access water from deeper layers of the soil, helping them survive drought conditions. They also show greater resistance to diseases such as coffee leaf rust, which has historically devastated many coffee plantations. In addition, Liberica trees are large and robust, enabling them to withstand heavy rainfall, storms and changing weather patterns. Its ability to grow on poor soils and adapt to changing environmental conditions makes Liberica a promising climate-resilient coffee species as global warming increasingly threatens traditional coffee farming.Market demand is another factor driving the renewed interest in Liberia. According to Jacob, buyers in India as well as overseas are becoming increasingly curious about the variety because of its distinct fruit and sweet flavor profile, which differentiates it from Arabica and Robusta. However, Liberica still faces output-related challenges. Currently, its yield is significantly lower than that of Arabica or Robusta. This is partly because it is still grown as a tree crop along fences rather than as a fully managed plantation variety. Looking for ExcelsaAnother tree coffee variety, Excelsa, is generally considered climate-resilient. The jury is still out on whether this classifies Coffea liberica as a variety, as it shares many of Liberica’s tough characteristics. Excelsa can tolerate high temperatures, erratic rainfall and humid tropical conditions better than Coffea arabica, which is more sensitive to climate change. Adhi Savla, senior manager of coffee community at Blue Tokai, said they sourced Excelsa from a South Indian coffee company but it is currently sold out. “The amount is very small because they are experimental lots,” he says. “Excelsa offers a heavy body with distinctive cola-like notes, often reminiscent of cola, black currant and molasses, creating a unique experience for coffee drinkers.”South Indian Coffee Company (SICC) has been exporting Excelsa since 2017 “We have been working with Kew Gardens in the UK since 2021 and they have proven that Excelsa and Liberica are two different species,” said SICC co-founder and fifth-generation coffee farmer Akshay Dashrath. “In India, when it’s hot, it’s usually dry. Sometimes our problem isn’t just heat; it’s too much humidity. For example, in 2024, we had 65 inches of rain on our farm. This is historically normal, but was unusual in that July had only 33 inches. Arabica and Robusta are hard to tolerate these conditions. Excelsa does well in these variable conditions because it is a deep-rooted tree.“Their Mooleh Manay estate in Coorg produces about three tonnes of pure Excelsa annually. SICC Excelsa has started breeding. “Arabica has had 500 years of selective breeding; Robusta has had 150 years. Excelsa and Liberica were empty. What we have in India is basically a wild population introduced in batches in 1872, 1920s and 1940s,” added Akshay.Some prefer to be practicalFor Arvind Rao, former chairman of the Karnataka Planters Association, adaptation is now less about breakthrough genetics and more about practical mitigation. “Most of us haven’t really tried climate-resilient varieties because there aren’t any real varieties available yet, even off the coffee board,” he says. “So we’re managing all the plants we already have in our fields.” The response, for now, is infrastructural and environmental. “We are conserving water, building storage tanks, irrigation systems so that we can irrigate during flowering and reduce the drought a bit,” explains Rao. Shade regulations have also changed. “We’re maintaining a bit more shade to keep the temperature down. Of course, it slows down the crop a bit – but it helps control the heat stress.” Soil health has become a focus of discussion. Composting and organic matter addition are being used to improve water retention.Resilience alone is not enoughFrom a quality and market perspective, another industry observer and a processing expert who deals with post-harvest coffee processing and fermentation, Benny Varghese — who has traveled extensively throughout the country’s coffee regions — sees resilience as not absolute but layered.“From what I have seen across Karnataka and Tamil Nadu, S795 still holds strong,” said Binny. (S795 is an Arabica selection derived from the Kent and S288 lines which have some Liberica ancestry). It is known for high yields, resistance to coffee leaf rust, and a flavor profile with notes of mocha or chocolate. “It’s not fashionable, but it’s genetically stable and relatively adapted to mid-altitudes. With disciplined selection and controlled fermentation, it can produce very clean cups with structured acidity and good sweetness.“Selection 9, Binney adds, remains significant. Selection 9 was developed in India by crossing Tafarikella (an Ethiopian Arabica) with Hybrido-de-Timore (a rust-resistant hybrid). “Genetics define potential yield and disease resistance,” he explains. “Processing determines how much potential translates into cup quality.”Tracking climate risk with dataThe conversation about climate risk, he says, has clearly become more direct. “Before, climate conversations were cautious. Now they’re data-driven and experience-based. Younger growers are using modeling.” Farmers are now openly discussing erratic flowering showers, rising temperatures during fruit development and unpredictable rain during drying—all of which affect bean density and fermentation forecasts. “What’s interesting is that adaptation is no longer seen as just ‘putting in a new variety,'” Binney notes. “It’s integrated thinking—canopy management, spacing, moisture management, selective picking, even adjusting processing styles to accommodate uneven ripening.”