Last crop year's exports were against 1.51 lakh tonnes exported during 1996-97, the data revealed.

In terms of value, exports were up by only 17 per cent in view of fall in unit value realisation.

Value of coffee exports were put at 490.10 million US dollars against 415.48 million dollars fetched during 1996-97.

Unit value realisation declined to Rs 86,807 per tonne during 1997-98 crop year from Rs 93,410 per tonne in 1996-97.

The unit value realisation dipped in view of lower price for coffee in the global market.

For the annual year, which is considered significant by the industry, exports are higher by 35 per cent than the corresponding period last year.Exports till yesterday are higher at 1.87 lakh tonnes against 1.37 lakh tonnes during the same period a year ago.

In fact, for the whole of 1997 India'scoffee exports was only 1.61 lakh tonnes.

In value terms, exports this year have been put at $420.44 million against $380.30 million last year.

Of the 1,87 lakh tonnes of coffee exported this year, robustas are estimated to have made the bulk at around 1.30 lakh tonnes.

India's robustas are in good demand abroad, particularly among roasters in Italy, Australia, Greece and Japan, which use them as blends for primary coffee.

Unit value realisation during the period, however, declined to Rs 89,030 per tonne from Rs 94,863 per tonne.

The data said since the beginning of the year, permits had been given to export two lakh tonnes. This was against permits issued for exports of 1.44 lakh tonnes. During 1997, permits were issued for exports of a little over 1.65 lakh tonnes.

For the 1998-99 financial year, which the government takes into account, coffee exports were up by 32 per cent at 1.29 lakh tonnes between April one and October 22 against 97,324 tonnes during the same period a year ago.The exportswere against permits issued for export of 1.37 lakh tonnes. A year ago, permits had been given for coffee exports of 98,566 tonnes.

Exports during the fiscal fetched 268.73 million dollars against 267.07 million dollars during the same period last year and unit value realisation slid to rs 84,538 per tonne against 98,091 a tonnes.

India makes up three per cent of global coffee production and exports two-thirds of the coffee it produces.