Government to pump Rs 400 crore into coffee cup

IBNlive, Oct 9, 2011
BHUBANESWAR: The State Government is planning to expand areas under coffee cultivation to 22,700 hectare by 2021-22 with a massive investment of Rs 400 crore.


� The coffee plantation would be taken up in the undivided Koraput district where currently about 1,300 hectares are under cultivation. Official sources said� extension of coffee plantation in the State� was discussed during the recent visit of Indian Coffee Board (ICB) chairman Jawaid Akhtar to the State.

� It has been decided to invest the ` 400 crore over a period of 10 years from 2011-12. The ICB would fund ` 35 crore for a programme on organic coffee production in the State. Rest of the funds will be pooled from MGNREGS, Revised Long Term Action Plan (RLTAP) for KBK districts and other schemes.

� As per the survey conducted by the Coffee Board, an area of 11,650 hectare in the Koraput, Kalahandi, Ganjam, Phulbani and Keonjhar districts has been found suitable for coffee cultivation.

� Public sector industries like Nalco, Hindustan Aluminium Company and a host of private sector enterprises have evinced interest to take up coffee cultivation in about 1,000 acres which is mined for bauxite ore extraction.

� During the 9th Five Year Plan, the Board has been implementing a number of schemes for development of the coffee sector in traditional as well as non-traditional coffee-growing states. For Orissa, the Board is implementing a Special Area Programme with the objective of checking ‘Podu’ cultivation, rejuvenating small coffee holdings and expanding coffee plantation in the tribal sector by providing a subsidy of ` l5,000 per hectare.

� Besides, the Board is also providing financial assistance for installation of coffee processing units and imparting training to coffee growers on latest coffee husbandry practices and scientific methods of cultivation.

� Six hulling units were also supplied under the scheme to the State during 1999- 2000 to process coffee at farm level.

� At present, there are about 122 private coffee growers in the Koraput who have taken to commercial cultivation. The coffee growers in Koraput and Rayagada districts have made huge profits ushering in a positive change in the socio-economic condition of tribals. Official sources said the expansion programme will benefit the locals immensely.