Shimla:

Over three centuries after coffee plantation was first reported in Chikmaglur district of Karnataka, Himachal Pradesh is pushing for commercial cultivation of coffee in the hill state. There is a proposal to start plantation in Bilaspur, Hamirpur, Una, Kangra, Solan and Sirmaur districts of the state with the help of Coffee Board of India.

At present, the state produces only 5-7 quintal of coffee, mainly as the result the initiative by some progressive farmers.

Coffee board member Dr Vikram Sharma of Bilaspur, who is credited with bringing coffee plantation to the state in 1999 after a visit to Chikmagalur, said the topography of lower Himachal resembles that of Chikmagalur and varieties like Chandragiri and selection-nine are best suited for the state. “Chandragiri is temperature tolerant and it would have enhanced flavour due to variation in temperature compared to the rest of India where coffee is grown,” he said.

Talking about his efforts, Sharma, said, “I had grown coffee in my waste land in 2002, so can be done in lower Himachal areas. A proposal has been submitted to the Union ministry of commerce and industries to provide the seeds to farmers in these districts.”

He said the coffee board’s survey of Bilaspur, Hamirpur, Una and Kangra districts found the state suitable for coffee cultivation. In Dramman area of Kangra, a teacher has a flourishing coffee plantation, he pointed out.

According to Sharma, interested farmers would get seeds from the coffee board soon.

Apple is the main commercial crop in upper Himachal, but Sharma says coffee has the potential to become the commercial crop of lower Himachal. With great demand for green coffee bean extracts due to its anti-obesity properties, it can prove to be a money-earner for those going in for the bean’s organic plantation.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / News> City News> Chandigarh News / by Ananad Bodh / TNN / January 03rd, 2017