Call for cultivation of coffee in Sampaje, Karike, Peraje, Chembu regions of Kodagu

With coffee enjoying a huge global demand, Coffee Board member T. Kishore Kumar emphasised the need for the cultivation of coffee alongside other crops in Sampaje, Karike, Peraje and Chembu regions of Kodagu district.

Farmers of Sampaje, Karike, Peraje, and Chembu regions, who mostly cultivate arecanut, rubber, and pepper, should consider taking up cultivation of coffee also alongside the existing crops, suggested Mr. Kishore Kumar while addressing the 72nd All India Co-operative Week held at Peraje Primary Agricultural Co-operative Soceity premises on Friday.

The 72nd All India Co-operative Week, organised jointly by Karnataka State Co-operative Federation, Kodagu District Co-operative Union, Kodagu District Co-operative Central Bank, and Co-operation Department at Peraju in Kodagu district, focused on promoting digitisation to enhance efficiency, accountability and transparency.

Mr. Kishore Kumar pointed out that the government was encouraging coffee cultivation by extending subsidies and incentives for the crop. India produces 3.60 lakh metric tonnes of coffee annually, of which 2.30 lakh metric tonnes are exported while the remaining is traded domestically, he said.

Karnataka accounts for about 60% to 65% of India’s annual coffee production, with Kodagu district alone contributing 30%-35% while the adjoining Chikmagaluru and Hassan districts contribute 25%-30%. Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and Andhra Pradesh together account for another 20%-30%, while the North Eastern States contributed about 10%-15%, he explained.

India earns about ₹15,000 crore in foreign exchange from coffee production, and the target is to reach ₹50,000 crore by 2047. He said the farmers can achieve this by reaching a production target of 7 lakh metric tonnes.

He emphasised that farmers should use drip irrigation and other methodologies to achieve high production at low cost.

With Karnataka’s coffee enjoying a huge demand, Mr. Kishore Kumar said there was a need to strengthen the co-operative sector so that loan facilities can be provided to the farmers and the economy can be strengthened.

Kodagu District Co-operative Central Bank President K P Ganapathy said there were a total of 288 co-operative societies operating in Kodagu district. Leaders of Kodagu district had established co-operatives for coffee, cardamom, honey and oranges.

Farmers receive easy loan facilities through co-operatives and must make proper use of them, he said while adding that the Co-operative Week provides an opportunity to discuss the strengths and shortcomings of the co-operative sector so that steps can be taken in the right direction.

During the co-operative week, a free health check-up camp was held. A market fair was also organized by members of Sanjeevini group, who sold vegetables and other items.