The Centre has approved an outlay of Rs. 100 crore in the 12th Five Year Plan for implementing the scheme “Support for mechanisation of farm operations” in coffee estates.

Officials in the Coffee Board told The Hindu that the Centre would soon issue an order for implementing the scheme from the current year. The amount would be utilised for providing subsidy to coffee growers to purchase machinery. A sum of Rs. 20 crore would be utilised each year in the Plan period between 2012 and 2017.

SUBSIDY FOR GROWERS

While small growers owning less than 25 acres of plantation are eligible to get 50 per cent subsidy (up to Rs. 2 lakh) for purchase of machinery, large farmers are eligible to obtain 25 subsidy (up to Rs. 4.5 lakh). Self-help groups are eligible to get 50 per cent subsidy (up to Rs. five lakh). Nearly 97 per cent of coffee planters own less than 25 acres of estates in Karnataka.

LABOUR SHORTAGE

Officials said acute shortage of labour and rise in wages in traditional coffee growing States such as Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu is impeding expansion of area under coffee. The Board has decided to push for more mechanisation of farm activities in plantations to address the problem of absence of skilled labour.

MACHINERY

Planters could utilise funds for purchase of machineries such as weed/brush cutter, pit digging machine, telescopic pruner, hand-held/battery operated coffee harvester, sprayers, mini-tractors, power tillers, mini-transporters/rubber track carriers.

The Board has submitted proposals to the Centre seeking Rs. 1,200 crore during the 12th Plan period. The outlay during the 11th Plan period was Rs. 600 crore.

The Planning Commission, Commerce and Finance Ministries would approve various proposals on research and development, area expansion, replanting etc. in the next couple of months, officials said.

RAIN BRINGS CHEER

Heavy rainfall in the last few weeks is likely to boost the crop prospects in coffee growing districts of Kodagu, Chikmagalur and Hassan. “The situation was alarming a few weeks ago due to deficient rainfall. Heavy rainfall in the last few days helped control spread of the white stem borer disease afflicting coffee plantations,” a top Board official said.

White stem borer is one of the deadly pests that infects Arabica coffee plantations. Its larvae bores into the plant’s stem causing death of young plants. The older plants may survive but their yield is reduced and susceptibility to diseases increases.

EXPECTED YIELD

The Coffee Board has estimated output at 3.25 lakh tonnes in 2012-13 (October-September), which includes 1.04 lakh tonnes of Arabica, and 2.21 lakh tonnes of Robusta. “We analyse the output by the end of the monsoon,” the official pointed out adding that “it is difficult to estimate the production decline at this juncture”.

Karnataka Planters’ Association predicted decline in output in 2012-13 on account of poor monsoon rain in traditional coffee growing States.

source: http://www.TheHindu.com / Home> News> States> Karnataka / by Nagesh Prabhu / Bangalore, August 15th, 2012