London, Nov 12 - Growth in coffee consumption in emerging markets could be slowed by the global financial crisis, International Coffee Organization Executive Director Nestor Osorio said on Tuesday.
"Despite the current financial crisis consumption levels in traditional markets are likely to be maintained," he said in a monthly market report.
"The situation remains less certain in emerging markets where the financial crisis could have an effect on consumption patterns," he added.
Osorio projected 2008 world coffee consumption at between 127 and 128 million 60-kg bags, compared with a forecast of "around 128 million" issued a month ago.
Coffee consumption in 2007 was estimated at 124.6 million bags, up 2.9 percent from 121.1 million in 2006.
"This growth in consumption is attributable largely to a significant dynamism in emerging economies and a number of coffee exporting countries," he said.
Osorio maintained his estimate for world coffee production in 2008/09 at around 131 million bags, an increase of 11 percent compared with 2007/08.