Indian Coffee Varieties

India’s coffee grading standards deliver consistency, reliability, and globally recognised quality.

Quality Specifications for Indian Green Coffee

Moisture Standards for Different Coffee Types

Type of Coffee Moisture (%)
Plantation 10.5
Arabica Cherry 11.5
Robusta Parchment 10.5
Robusta Cherry 11.5
Mysore Nuggets Extra Bold 9.0 – 10.5
Robusta Kaapi Royale 9.0 – 10.5
Monsooned Malabar Coffees 13.0 – 14.5

  • A tolerance of ±0.5% in moisture content is permissible.

  • Moisture standards for premium grades are the same as those for their respective types.

  • Definitions of coffee terms can be found in the glossary at the end of this guide.

Aperture Size of Test Sieves and Screen Numbers

Aperture size (Diameter in mm) Screen No.
7.50 19
Between 19 & 18 —
6.70 / 6.65 17
6.50 Between 17 & 16
6.30 —
6.00 15
5.60 / 5.50 14

Grading and Garbling (Sorting) Standards

Grading and garbling of Indian coffee is based on the size of the coffee beans and the presence of imperfections. The Indian system specifies a tolerance level for each grade, expressed as a percentage. Quality specifications require that all beans be free from foreign and extraneous matter.

Arabica

We export premium green coffee and provide complete private label support, including roasting, grinding, and packaging fresh coffee for brands worldwide.

The grade designations for Arabica Plantation Coffee are:

  • Plantation PB
  • Plantation A
  • Plantation B
  • Plantation C
  • Plantation Blacks
  • Plantation Bits
  • Plantation Bulk

Quality Specifications:

  • Plantation PB: No sieve requirement; clean garbled. Tolerance: Flats (AB) up to 2% by weight, PB Triage up to 3% by weight.
  • Plantation A: Minimum 90% by weight retention on a sieve with round holes of 6.65 mm (Screen 17). No more than 1.5% by weight shall pass through a sieve with round holes of 6.00 mm (Screen 15). Tolerance: PB up to 2% by weight, Triage up to 3% by weight.
  • Plantation B: Minimum 75% by weight retention on a sieve with round holes of 6.00 mm (Screen 15). No more than 1.5% by weight shall pass through a sieve with round holes of 5.50 mm (Screen 14). Clean garbled. Tolerance: PB up to 2% by weight, Triage up to 3% by weight.
  • Plantation C: Minimum 75% by weight retention on a sieve with round holes of 5.50 mm (Screen 14). 100% by weight shall stand on a sieve with round holes of 5.00 mm (Screen 13). May include triage, small whole beans of the prescribed sieve size, light beans, boat-shaped beans and spotted beans (less than a quarter of a bean surface). Shall be free from blacks and damaged beans.
  • Plantation Blacks: 100% by weight retention on a sieve with round holes of 5.00 mm (Screen 13). May include black beans (more than a quarter of the bean surface black, deep blue or dark brown) and damaged beans such as bleached (spongy) beans, insect-damaged beans, spotted (more than a quarter of a bean surface) beans, stinker and sour beans.
  • Plantation Bits: 100% by weight shall pass through a sieve with round holes of 5.00 mm (Screen 13). Ungarbled. May contain broken beans less than 1/3 the size of a bean, blacks, browns and defective beans of the prescribed size.
  • Plantation Bulk: Ungraded. Presence of blacks, browns, and bits shall not exceed 2% by weight.

The grade designations for Arabica Cherry coffee are:

  • Arabica Cherry PB
  • Arabica Cherry AB
  • Arabica Cherry C
  • Arabica Cherry Blacks/Browns
  • Arabica Cherry Bits
  • Arabica Cherry Bulk

Quality Specifications:

  • Arabica Cherry PB: No sieve requirement; clean garbled. Tolerance: Flats (AB) up to 2% by weight, PB Triage up to 3% by weight.
  • Arabica Cherry AB: Minimum 90% by weight retention on a sieve with round holes of 6.00 mm (Screen 15). No more than 1.5% by weight shall pass through a sieve with round holes of 5.50 mm (Screen 14). Clean garbled. Tolerance: PB up to 2% by weight, Triage up to 3% by weight.
  • Arabica Cherry C: Minimum 75% by weight retention on a sieve with round holes of 5.50 mm (Screen 14). 100% by weight shall stand on a sieve with round holes of 5.00 mm (Screen 13). May include triage, small whole beans of the prescribed sieve size, light beans, boat-shaped beans and spotted beans (less than a quarter of a bean surface). Shall not contain more than 2% of blacks, browns or bits.
  • Arabica Cherry Blacks/Browns: 100% by weight retention on a sieve with round holes of 5.00 mm (Screen 13). May include black/dark brown beans, damaged beans (bleached, insect-damaged, spotted, fungal-damaged, sour, or green).
  • Arabica Cherry Bits: 100% by weight shall pass through a sieve with round holes of 5.00 mm (Screen 13). Ungarbled. May contain broken beans less than 1/3 of a bean size, blacks, browns and defective beans of the prescribed size.
  • Arabica Cherry Bulk: Ungraded. Presence of blacks, browns, bits shall not exceed 10% by weight.

Robusta

We export premium green coffee and provide complete private label support, including roasting, grinding, and packaging fresh coffee for brands worldwide.

The grade designations for Robusta Parchment Coffees are:

  • Robusta Parchment PB
  • Robusta Parchment AB
  • Robusta Parchment C
  • Robusta Parchment Blacks/Browns
  • Robusta Parchment Bits
  • Robusta Parchment Bulk

Quality Specifications:

  • Robusta Parchment PB: No sieve requirement; clean garbled. Tolerance: Flats (AB) up to 2% by weight, PB Triage up to 3% by weight.
  • Robusta Parchment AB: Minimum 90% by weight retention on a sieve with round holes of 6.00 mm (Screen 15). Not more than 1.5% by weight shall pass through a sieve with round holes of 5.50 mm (Screen 14). Clean garbled. Tolerance: PB up to 2% by weight, Triage up to 3% by weight.
  • Robusta Parchment C: Minimum 75% by weight retention on a sieve with round holes of 5.50 mm (Screen 14). 100% by weight shall be retained on a sieve with round holes of 5.00 mm (Screen 13). May include triage, small whole beans of the prescribed sieve size, light beans, boat-shaped beans and spotted beans (less than a quarter of a bean surface). Shall not contain more than 2% of blacks, browns or bits.
  • Robusta Parchment Blacks/Browns: 100% by weight retention on a sieve with round holes of 5.00 mm (Screen 13). May include black/dark brown beans, damaged beans (bleached, insect-damaged, spotted, stinker and sour).
  • Robusta Parchment Bits: 100% by weight shall pass through a sieve with round holes of 5.00 mm (Screen 13). Ungarbled. May contain broken beans less than 1/3 of a bean size, blacks, browns and defective beans of the prescribed size.
  • Robusta Parchment Bulk: Ungraded. Presence of blacks, browns, bits shall not exceed 2% by weight.

The grade designations for Robusta Cherry Coffee are:

  • Robusta Cherry PB
  • Robusta Cherry AB
  • Robusta Cherry C
  • Robusta Cherry Blacks/Browns

Robusta Coffee Grades:

  • Washed Robusta – Robusta Parchment
    • Robusta Parchment A
      • Sieve Standard: Minimum 90% retained on a sieve with round holes of 6.65 mm (Screen 17). 100% retained on a sieve with round holes of 6.00 mm (Screen 15).
      • Garbling Status: Clean garbled.
      • Tolerance: PB – 2% by weight; Triage – None permitted.
    • Robusta Parchment PB Bold
      • Sieve Standard: 100% retained on a sieve with oblong holes of 4.50 mm (Screen 11 oblong).
      • Garbling Status: Clean garbled.
      • Tolerance: AB – 2% by weight; Triage – 2% by weight.
  • Unwashed Robusta – Robusta Cherry
    • Robusta Cherry A
      • Sieve Standard: Minimum 90% retained on a sieve with holes of 7.10 mm (Screen 18). 100% retained on a sieve with holes of 6.65 mm (Screen 17).
      • Garbling Status: Clean garbled.
      • Tolerance: PB – 2% by weight; Triage – 1% by weight.
    • Robusta Cherry PB Bold
      • Sieve Standard: 100% retained on a sieve with oblong holes of 4.50 mm (Screen 11 oblong).
      • Garbling Status: Clean garbled.
      • Tolerance: AB – 2% by weight; PB Triage – 2% by weight.

Specialty Coffees:

  • Mysore Nuggets Extra Bold
    • Prepared from Plantation A coffee grown in Mysore, Biligiris, and Shevaroy regions. Shall display minimum 90% retention on a sieve with holes of 7.50 mm (Screen 19) and 100% retention on a sieve with holes of 6.65 mm (Screen 17). Beans passing through Screen 19 and retained on Screen 17 must be whole.
    • Medium to well-polished, clean garbled, and free of PB, broken beans, or extraneous matter. Defects including bleached, spongy, black, brown, insect-damaged, fungal-damaged, or pulper-cut beans shall be absent.
  • Robusta Kaapi Royale
    • Prepared from Robusta Parchment AB coffee grown in Mysore, Coorg, Travancore, Wayanad, Shevaroy, Pulney, and Bababudan regions. Sieve standards require minimum 90% retention on 6.70 mm (Screen 17) and full retention on 6.00 mm (Screen 15). Clean garbled and medium to well-polished. Beans must be free from defects or extraneous matter.

Monsooned Malabar Coffees:

  • Monsooned Malabar Arabica Grades
    • Monsooned Malabar AAA
    • Monsooned Malabar AA
    • Monsooned Malabar A
    • Monsooned Malabar Arabica Triage
      • Sieve Standard: Minimum 90% retention on a sieve with round holes of 7.50 mm (Screen 19). Not more than 1.5% shall pass through 7.10 mm (Screen 18).
      • Garbling Status: Clean garbled.
      • Tolerance: Triage – maximum 3% by weight.
    • Monsooned Malabar A
      • Minimum 75% retention on 6.70 mm (Screen 17). Not more than 1.5% passes 6.00 mm (Screen 15). Maximum Triage – 3%.
  • Monsooned Malabar Robusta Coffees
    • Monsooned Malabar Robusta RR
    • Monsooned Malabar Robusta Triage
      • Sieve Standard: Minimum 90% retention on 7.10 mm (Screen 18). Not more than 1.5% passes 6.70 mm (Screen 17).
      • Garbling Status: Clean garbled.

Tolerance: Triage – 3% maximum

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