Livelihoods of farmers under threat, says organising panel

The Coffee Board of India, in association with Way Win, a farmer producer company in the coffee sector in Wayanad, Wayanad Chamber of Commerce, Wayanad Coffee Growers Association, NABARD and Brahmagiri Development Society, is organising various programmes to mark International Coffee Day on October 1.

Agricultural Production Commissioner Devendra Kumar Singh will inaugurate the event at M.C. Auditorium here at 10 a.m. on the day. M. Karuthamani, Deputy Director, Coffee Board (Extension) Kerala, will preside over the function.

Coffee had never been more popular, but the livelihoods of coffee farmers were under threat, said organising committee chairman M.K. Devassia. Due to an increase in crop yield, causing two consecutive years of surplus in the market, there was currently a global oversupply of coffee, he said. The oversupply was driving down market price of coffee, he added. But the input cost, including labour cost and price of fertilizers, had increased considerably. Hence, the theme of the day was ‘Coffee’s future needs you’, he said.

“Wayanad, a major Robusta coffee growing area in the country, is facing the impact of global warming and climate change,” said Mr. Devassia, adding that it was expected that the crisis could be overcome by increasing production and doubling the income of farmers by value addition under the brand name of ‘Malabar Coffee’.

GI tag
The geological indication (GI) tag for Wayanad Robusta and the State government’s initiation to make the hill district carbon neutral would also help farmers get a better price for the produce, he added.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> States> Kerala / by Staff Reporter / Kalpetta, September 28th, 2019