Category Archives: Ukraine Updates, Kodagu Students(Feb 2022)

War puts coffee exports to Ukraine in jeopardy: Coffee Board

Business & Economy, Coffee Board, India (wef. Nov 17, 2021), Coffee News, Ukraine Updates, Kodagu Students(Feb 2022), World Opinion
The war could also have an indirect and long-term impact on the overall coffee exports from India to Ukraine and neighbouring coffee markets, say exporters. | Photo Credit: K. PICHUMANI

‘Ukraine has imported 6,604 metric tonnes of our coffee so far this fiscal’

Bengaluru :

The current crisis has put Indian coffee exports to Ukraine and neighbouring countries in jeopardy, the Coffee Board said on Friday.

So far, (April-Jan.) this fiscal, India had exported 6,604 metric tonnes of green bean, instant and roast and ground coffee to Ukraine and 23,519 metric tonnes to Russia. Coffee exports to Ukraine, in fact, peaked at 7,327 metric tonnes during fiscal 2018-19, and in 2019-20 it was 6,947 metric tonnes.

CIS countries were traditionally the major soluble/instant coffee importers from India. Russia currently accounts for 75% of this, while Ukraine alone has more than 20% share, according to data shared by Coffee Board.

“The Russia-Ukraine war will certainly impact Indian coffee exports to Ukraine and its neighbouring countries,” said Dr. K.G. Jagadeesha, CEO and Secretary, Coffee Board.

According to coffee exporters, in addition to the immediate impact on exports, the war could also have an indirect and long-term impact on the overall coffee exports from India to Ukraine and neighbouring coffee markets

“The Russia-Ukraine war is likely to push up prices of fuel, metal/aluminium (instant coffee is mostly exported in metal cans and containers) and packaging materials. It could also spiral logistics costs,” said Ramesh Rajah, president of the Coffee Exporters Association. “This means, the overall cost of exports will certainly go up and buyers and sellers are already worried about it,” he said. “Also, all these are happening when the prices of packaging raw material had already gone up by 30% recently,” Mr. Rajah added.

Ukraine is one of the largest importers of coffee in that region, while Russia is one of the top 5 buyers of Indian coffee. “Although Ukraine is largely a tea-consuming country, it has a very mature coffee culture, thanks to Turkish and Ottoman influence,” he said. “The current uncertainty is certainly worrying, both for exporters and as well as importers of all varieties of Indian coffees,” he added.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> Business / by Mini Tejaswi / February 25th, 2022

‘Five stranded students from Kodagu safe’

Education, Records, All, Ukraine Updates, Kodagu Students(Feb 2022), World Opinion

Even as the Indian Government was making efforts to get the stranded students from the country evacuated from the war-torn Ukraine, five students from Kodagu currently stuck in different cities of Ukraine are safe, an official from the district disaster management authority has said.

The official, who wished not to be named, said he got in touch with the five students, including three girls and two boys, studying in cities, including Kyiv, and they told him that they were safe but were facing a short supply of essentials with shops and businesses closed after Russian forces invaded Ukraine.

“Till Friday afternoon, there was no communication from the students. However, the parents of these students got in touch with the district administration. We managed to make video calls with the students to know about their safety. They sought help for their early evacuation,” the official told The Hindu.

The Kodagu district administration is collating information on the stranded students and communicating the same to the State Government which is coordinating with the Indian government for evacuation.

Some students are said to be stuck on their college campuses while others are in their homes. “We have advised them to take all safety precautions. They have been advised to remain on the ground floor or in the basement of the buildings as a safety measure with cities under aerial attacks,” according to the official.

One problem that the students are facing now is the transportation to reach the border for getting evacuated from neighbouring countries like Poland. “The government authorities are coordinating on this issue with the embassy as we have communicated the problems faced by the students, who have been counselled on managing the war situation with the available resources. Their parents in Kodagu have been told to remain calm with efforts on to get them evacuated soon,” the disaster management official said.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> National> Karnataka / by Special Correspondent / February 25th, 2022