Dr. M. Senthilkumar, Director of Research, Coffee Board of India, says that India need not worry too much about losing coffee by 2050.
“Of course, climate change is happening not only in India, but around the world but this is not going to make much impact on Indian coffee, when compared with other countries like Brazil and Vietnam. We are a country that does not grow coffee in an open condition. Most of the coffee in India grows in a shaded condition. We are pushing our farmers to grow more traditional and conventional shade trees at the coffee estates – that is deciduous and evergreen trees, which will help create a microclimate that will facilitate comfortable growing of coffee,” Dr. Senthilkumar explained.
India has rainfall from June to September usually, followed by a drought period of 70 days. “Due to climate change, there is a possibility of drought period being extended. If it extends farmers will have to use methods of artificial irrigation encoring more expenditure,” he added.
“By 50-100 years from now, climate change can cause problems at any given point as the temperature is increasing by 1.5 degrees centigrade every year. But again, not for Indian coffee. Indian coffee may benefit because of climate change, as other countries will stop producing coffee. But that does not mean we should stop worrying about climate change,” Dr. Senthilkumar said.
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Bengaluru / by Yemen S / November 29th, 2024
In my previous article, I featured an Ethiopian coffee export company who ran her business based on trust. This is factored in two ways; dealing with her farmers and clientele. In this day and age, we can learn a thing or two by understanding the wisdom behind why some people do the things they do, treading a harder path and not resort to shortcuts. They are in it for the long term, not focused on the short term gains. I have nothing but high regard for individuals like Medina.
Continuing a similar conversation, I have been focusing on what exactly is happening at the farm level by getting in touch with the producer directly. In this article, I talk to the owner of a coffee estate farm based in India. Sumaira gives us an insight about how her family’s coffee estate started in the late 18th century, processing techniques employed on her farm, the specialty coffee movement in India, and much more.
source: Rasulpur Coffee Estates
Can you tell me a bit about yourself and Rasulpur Coffee Estates?
I am Sumaira, the owner of Rasulpur Coffee Estates & Roasters . We are located in the Rasulpur village, Coorg district, in the hot spots of the Western Ghats, India. My entrepreneurship journey has had its shares of ups and downs. I took up a career as an interior designer and worked as a business head for a furniture empire in India. Later on, I moved to the UAE and explored the real estate industry and the coffee sector. I envisioned starting up something of my own, being from a family of coffee planters and having the self-confidence and determination to start my own business. Something clicked the moment I realized how the coffee industry is growing day-by-day.
To add, I am a fifth generation coffee planter who introduced specialty coffee at our estate. We introduced better equipments and techniques, and new processing and fermentation methods which I’ll get into a little later. A laboratory is set up for roasting and cupping to create different roast profiles and new blends at our estate. We believe in helping and encouraging our coffee community, especially the neighboring small and marginal coffee growers to analyze their coffees, and improve their harvesting and processing methods to fetch a better price for their coffee.
The journey of Rasulpur Coffee Estates started in the late 18th century when our ancestors migrated to the Western Ghats of India i.e. Coorg at the time of the British rule, as their main occupation was trading in coffee and spices. They travelled to different parts of Coorg, as they developed a liking towards coffee estates and the greenery, purchased plenty of estates, learnt the methods of coffee cultivation, and started exporting coffee to foreign countries. England was one of the major countries to which coffee was exported to from our estates in that period with the help of the Coffee Board.
We named the estate and brand ‘Rasulpur Coffee’ after the village, Rasulpur, which is on the banks of the Kaveri river in Kodagu district is named after Mr. Rasul Khan, our first generation planter. He cleared the land, started cultivation, built dams for irrigation, made the place livable and initiated agricultural works. Looking at his abilities and progress, the government named this village after him.
In time, our second, third and fourth generation planters purchased more coffee plantations and improved the methods of cultivation, processing, and introduced pulping and irrigation. An R&D team was also set up and a variety of experiments are conducted to this day. The goal here is to enhance the quality of the crops, and advance the processing and post harvesting methods. Our coffee is featured in auctions, supplied for projects, sold locally and exported to wholesalers, cafes, and restaurants. We also ferment micro lots as per requirements from our roasters and young entrepreneurs who are venturing into the coffee industry.
What kind of processing is done on the farm?
Processing on our farm is done in three different ways along with few specialty processing methods, all of which change the sweetness, body and acidity of brewed coffee. These are natural/sun dried, washed, and honey processed.
Natural/sun dried process. A natural processed coffee, also referred to as dry processed, is a traditional yet common way to process coffee today. Originating in Ethiopia, it involves drying out freshly picked coffee cherries with the seed still inside. To do this, we place the cherries on drying beds in the sun. These beds are either patios or raised drying tables. The cherries have to be rotated and turned to prevent mold, and takes about seven to eight days to ferment. During this time, the sugars and mucilage (the sticky substance that coats the seed) will latch onto the seeds, develop flavours and make them sweeter. Once the coffee is dry, a machine separates the pulp from the seed. Natural coffees are heavy bodied, and have deep, complex tasting notes. This development comes from the way the cherry ferments differently. Natural processed coffees can be difficult to replicate because of the inconsistencies in fermentation. However when done right, these coffees can also be some of the sweetest you’ll taste. It is juicy, syrupy and well worth the extra effort.
Washed process. Unlike natural, washed processed coffees are called the opposite, i.e. wet processed. In this scenario, machines called pulpers remove the seeds from the cherries before drying them. However, it is not just any cherry that gets the seed removal treatment. These cherries must have the perfect amount of ripeness to make sure they are sweet enough. To accomplish this, they go through a sorter and are segregated according to density. Once these pulpers remove the skin and pulp from the seeds, they are placed in tanks full of water. The water separates the rest of the mucilage and fruit caked onto the seed. Finally, the seeds are dried on the beds in the sun. Washed processed coffees have cleaner, and more crisp tasting notes when compared to natural processed coffees. The body of a brewed washed coffee is lighter. There is typically more brightness as well, because of a cleaner acidity that balances out the sweetness of the coffee. They are just as fruity as natural coffees, but the flavor notes are easier to differentiate.
Honey processed. This method is a combination of both natural and washed. It is a rare and demanding method, and not as commonly practiced as the previous two. However, it produces a unique cup of coffee, with flavours similar to both of the previously described processing methods. During honey processing, a pulper removes the seed from the cherry before it undergoes a drying process. However, it does not go into washing tank to remove the mucilage. That mucilage, which is what the ‘honey’ refers to stays on the seed and is now dried in the sun. The amount of mucilage left behind determines the sweetness, and there are even machines to control the amount on the seed. Like natural process, the seeds are dried on beds. The flavor components of honey coffees are varied and complex. Like washed coffees, they have lighter body and are very syrupy and sweet. Acidity is present but more mellow when compared to washed coffees.
Specialty processing. This is an emerging field and we use unique methods like anaerobic, aerobic, natural fermented, and fruit fermented to name a few. We ferment our coffee in a temperature controlled environment, with or without oxygen, followed by controlled drying to bring out unique and funky flavors out of the coffee.
source: Rasulpur Coffee Estates
What is the current state of the specialty coffee industry in India?
The coffee culture in India has evolved over the past decades. The nostalgia-inducing coffee houses were popular meeting grounds until the 1980’s. In the 90’s, cafe culture took over the country and coffee became the trendy drink to try.
Cafes are becoming the primary hangouts for youngsters and coffee found an emerging and appreciative audience. In the past two decades, we have seen a surge of cafes all over the country. They have materialized as a central hub for meeting, whether casual or business, and also doubling up as co-working spaces.
The 2020 pandemic impacted the industry In multiple ways and its effects were manifold. Logistics of coffee exports are pretty bad even today. Traditional coffee plantation owners who supply heavily within India and export to Europe are left with excess stock of coffee that could no longer be shipped to international markets.
Coming to the Indian coffee space, in recent years, the spotlight is on specialty coffee. This movement is picking up speed with many brands and roasters setting up shop. Analysis gives us a deeper understanding on how speciality coffee has emerged as the current buzzword in coffee circles. Current generation and millennials have emerged as the major chunk of consumers of specialty coffee within India.
Increased awareness and interest about coffee augmented by growing exposure to worldwide trends due to rising international travel and social media saw many of them exploring specialty coffee and manual brewing techniques. Lockdowns put a halt to the possibility of exploring cafes and thus many coffee consumers in the country turned to home brewing.
Many retail specialty coffee brands saw skyrocketing sales in 2020 as consumers invested in manual brewing equipment ranging from French Press, Moka Pots, Chemex and Aeropress. The new generation of coffee consumers respect the people behind the product, want to better understand the ‘farm to cup’ journey and are willing to invest in educating themselves on all nuances of coffee.
A few years back, this was largely unheard of. Farmers were just one aspect of the coffee supply chain, but hardly ever found the spotlight on them. Now plantation owners are keen on sharing their stories and experiences, information on their crops and the work they put in to make that perfect cup of coffee.
One can safely say that specialty coffee will not just be a passing trend, but en route to becoming one of the mainstays of the Indian coffee space in the coming decade.
I think there is a lack of communication between the consumers and farmers. I know some of the consumers, including me, have started to pay attention to where exactly the coffee is coming and from which farm. What do you think can be done to fill this gap?
The missing ingredient is awareness. People need to be educated about Indian coffee. The new-generation farmers need to collaborate with the Coffee Board of India and conduct events to promote coffees originating from India within the country and internationally.
Joint efforts need to be made by all coffee enthusiasts to encourage the consumption of coffee by making people understand the benefits of drinking coffee. The government has to support and help promote farmers to come forward and establish their own brands.
Being honest and transparent ensures the consumers and clients knows about the past, present and the way you are going to build a future. Bringing credibility to the table builds trust factor for the brand with the consumers.
I know some of the issues the farmers are facing currently are the increasing production costs, what steps are you employing to change that? Have you increased the price of your coffee to reflect that?
Whether we like it or not, coffee is getting more expensive. It’s important to look at some of the reasons why this is happening, before you potentially do one of the following:
Buy less sustainable and ethical coffee because it’s cheaper or
Lay blame on the wrong people for higher prices.
There are many factors influencing the cost of coffee from climate change, disruptions to global shipping, consumer demand, and packaging cost. While the need to use more environmentally-friendly packaging for coffee cups and bags is real, so too is the cost for shops switching to compostable or recyclable materials. We have also witnessed fluctuating shortages of packaging stock forcing some companies to find more costly short term solutions to packaging which comes at a higher cost.
Lastly, coming to the cost of quality, producing coffee of higher quality simply costs more. Coffee must be cared, harvesting and processing is hard work. It requires time and physical effort if you want to achieve the highest quality standards. You can’t have it both ways.
source: Rasulpur Coffee Estates
What are your thoughts on transparency? Has it benefitted you in any way?
Yes, by ten-fold. Transparency has improved our overall trust factor in this industry. It solves many problems and even stops disasters before they happen. It expands relationships, increases productivity, strengthens innovation, and improved our revenue.
What is the future of specialty coffee?
By far, the most interesting and exciting coffee segment of the moment is specialty coffee. It is rapidly expanding in India and across the globe as consumers continue to seek out the best cup of coffee to enjoy.
When it comes to coffee quality, specialty coffee is the ‘cream of the crop’ and is likened to fine wines due to its distinctive characteristics and delicious flavour that can only be achieved under certain growing conditions.
In today’s market, specialty coffee has become an intricate science and a global phenomenon that is seeing rapid growth across all sectors. More estates are coming into this specialty game, that will give ‘Indian specialty coffee a lot of mileage.’
What do you do in terms of R&D on Rasulpur Estate
We are currently doing research on developing a hybrid plant which is resistant to white stem borer and leaf rust. These are the two biggest pests and diseases faced by all Arabica growers throughout the world. International Coffee Organization (ICO) is working with different countries to find a solution for this.
This R&D program has been ongoing for the past four years on a 40 year old, 30 ft tall, Arabica plant labelled by us as Rasulpur Arabica. So far, the results look promising and it is resistant to these diseases. We have propagated progenies of this plant by clonal cutting, seed and tissue culture, and cross-bred this plant with other varieties of Arabica.
source: Rasulpur Coffee Estates
About Rasulpur Coffee Estate
Rasulpur Coffee Estates & Roasters is based out of Rasulpur village in Coorg district in the hot spots of the Western Ghats, India. The Estate is run by Syeda Sumaira, a fifth generation coffee planter and entrepreneur.
Fun fact: Coffee farms are the best place to get first hand knowledge about the beverage, how it is grown, harvested and processed. Rasulpur Coffee Estates organizes coffee tours, get in touch with them to find out more.
source: http://www.fltrmagazine.com / FLTR / Home> Insight> People / by Naveed Syed / August 11th, 2022
The journey of coffee in India and the Soliga community’s role in conservation.
“The first record of coffee in India is around 1799, when the British set up an experimental plot in Thalassery, Kerala. From then on, coffee planting came to the Nilgiris, Coorg (now Kodagu) and other parts,” says Arshiya Bose. | Photo Credit: AMANDA PEROBELLI
What will your cup of coffee taste like by 2050? Worse, will you even get your cup of coffee? Alarmist as this question might sound, these questions are being asked for the last 10 days. A study published on PLOS One, a peer-reviewed open-access journal published by the Public Library of Science in January 2022 (Expected global suitability of coffee, cashew and avocado due to climate change), predicts an overall decline in the world’s suitable growing land for arabica coffee by 2050.
Amidst the worry of what the future holds for coffee, a recent panel discussion at Bangalore International Centre (BIC) explored the ecological history of coffee in India, the impacts of coffee production on biodiversity, producer observations of everyday climate change on their farms and how the Soliga, an indigenous community, grows coffee on the Biligiri Ranganatha Tiger Reserve Hills (B.R. Hills) in Karnataka.
M. Kethe Gowda and M. Sannarange Gowda. | Photo Credit: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT
In B.R. Hills area
M. Sannarange Gowda from the Soliga community, who grows coffee on his biodiverse farm in B.R. Hills, leads various capacity-building programmes for regenerative agriculture. The co-founder of a community-led YouTube channel, Kaadina Makkalu, says that the community started growing coffee initially as it was not something that animals preferred eating. M. Kethe Gowda, co-founder of the channel who has over two decades of experience in ecological research on bees and honey, native tree species, and birds, advocates for holistic farming practices that conserve local ecosystems and biodiversity. He leads experimental work on non-chemical approaches to managing pest and disease outbreaks and is passionate about community outreach.
Sannarange Gowda says, “We grew crops like ragi, maize and so on, which would frequently be destroyed or eaten by animals like deer, elephant, wild boar, monkey and birds in the forest and the hill area… Over a period of time, the Horticulture Department started encouraging people in podus (settlements) to grow coffee, because wild animals would pass through the farms and not feed on them. We needed registered land to grow coffee and could not just grow it anywhere. We finally got a piece of land, and since then, we started growing coffee.”
Kethe Gowda goes back to a time when his ancestors lived in the forest, and there were various podus inside the forest. “There we grew crops like ragi, maize, hyacinth beans, dal, pumpkin, mustard and more. The Forest Department at one point wanted all of us inside the forest to live outside the forest, because when tiger reserves were established, that was the rule. We were told we would be given land close to the B.R. Hills area, but we had to come out of the forest.“ Kethe Gowda says that it did not feel right for them to move out of the land they have always called home for centuries.
“We told the forest officials that our crops were ripe, and we could not leave until they were harvested, but they brought in tamed elephants to destroy our crops and asked us to leave. So, this is how we came out of the actual forest and lived in the B.R. Hills area,“ he explains.
Arshiya Bose and M. Sannarange Gowda. | Photo Credit: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT
A colonial project
Arshiya Bose, who holds a PhD in Geography from the University of Cambridge, U.K., and a Post-Doctoral Fellowship from ETH-Zurich, says that according to legend it was a Sufi saint, Baba Budan, was brought coffee seeds to India. But coffee as we know it today, grown in commercial plantations, was a colonial project.
British planters who came over from Sri Lanka started growing coffee. “The first record of coffee in India is around 1799, when the British set up an experimental plot in Thalassery, Kerala. From then on, coffee planting came to the Nilgiris, Coorg (now Kodagu) and other parts,” says Arshiya, who is the founder of Black Baza Coffee which she started in 2016. It is a social and conservation enterprise that partners with smallholder coffee producers in India’s Western Ghats biodiversity hotspot. Coffee’s journey to India
“What is fascinating about the way the colonial coffee project went forward is that many of the British planters who were here were actually Naturalists back home in England. So, they kept a very detailed record of not only how they grew coffee, but also what kind of wildlife they saw. There was a prolific writer and journal keeper, Edwin Lester Arnold, who found himself in Coorg around the mid 1800s. In one of his books he describes what kind of wildlife was there. He writes how coffee growers borrowed their coffee planting method from how they cultivated wheat back in England and Europe,” she explains.
Much has changed since that time and Indian now produces a lot of coffee, being the eight largest coffee producing country in the world as of 2022.
Unlike the British coffee plantations, the Soligas continued growing coffee amid the forest. | Photo Credit: Abhishek Chinnappa
Impact on biodiversity
Arshiya explains that unfortunately, in the process of large-scale cultivation and development of plantations, there has been a huge impact on the kind of biodiversity that existed.
“If you take the map of rainforests in the world or coffee plantations in the world, these maps often overlap almost identically,” she says, adding that there is huge loss of forest cover in India to coffee plantations in districts like Kodagu. Arshia argues that for long-term resilience, coffee should be grown amid trees. “It regulates the kind of humidity, soil moisture coffee needs, and provides the buffer against any kind of extreme events that may happen around you,“ she adds.
Unlike the British coffee plantations, the Soligas continued growing coffee amid the forest. “We continued to grow coffee under the forest canopies, which is very beneficial. There were jamun, ficus and other threes, because of which wildlife like sloth bear, white-cheek barbet, deer etc. came to feed on the fruit, excrete in the same spot, which would in turn into manure for the coffee plants. I am proud of the wildlife that comes to our farm, which shows how healthy our farm is,” Sannarange Gowda explains with pride.
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Bengaluru / November 29th, 2024
Shade-grown coffee at a Coffee estate in Kodagu district (Coorg), Karnataka. File | Photo Credit: Murali Kumar K.
India’s major plantation sectors such as rubber and coffee have heaved a sigh of relief as the EU Parliament has voted in favour of a proposal by the European Commission to delay the implementation of EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) allowing growers, exporters and traders additional time for compliance.
Accordingly, large coffee operators and exporters must meet EUDR regulations by December 30, 2025, while micro and small growers and traders have time until June 30, 2026 to comply, as against the earlier EU set mandatory due diligence procedures and compliance deadline of December 2024.
Being EUDR-compliant indicates a grower’s forest-based coffee produce is legal, and not sourced from any deforested land or unethically cultivated.
Notably, over 70% of Indian coffees are sold in EU countries, and therefore the compliance extension has direct implications on coffee players in India, although India was one among the few countries which grew coffee under two tier thick shade of native trees, say industry players. “Our coffee estates, in addition to coffee and shade trees has diverse flora and fauna. So Indian coffees are most sustainably grown.
In spite of that India opposed EUDR since the compliance does not incentivise sustainably grown coffees,” Coffee Board of India CEO and secretary K.G. Jagadeesha told The Hindu. “Now given that EUDR is a regulation already passed by EU, we have no option but to comply as 70% of Indian coffee exported is going to EU. Coffee Board is developing a platform for assisting coffee producers in India to comply with EUDR. We also welcome the EU decision to extend the deadline,” he added. However, the Coffee Board CEO said EUDR compliance burden on planters and growers would be huge as it required technological and financial resources which won’t be compensated.
Expressing similar concerns K.G. Rajeev, chairman, Karnataka Planters’ Association which represent over 70% of coffee growers in the country, said, ‘‘There are challenges in mobilisation of resources to invest by small and medium sized holdings to be EUDR compliant. Also there are elements of ambiguity. Strict enforcement without clarity on methodology to be implemented may not have desired results. All these may have adverse impact on productivity and profitability of the industry.”
According to Mr. Rajeev, EUDR is a regulation with requirements for due diligence and traceability, which needs lot of data to demonstrate compliance both on ground and documentation. He insisted that Indian coffee couldn’t be compared with coffees in any other geographies as it was predominantly grown under shade.
Coffee activities also encouraged preservation of existing forests which in turn provided habitat for variety of wildlife, avian populations and thus promoted natural biodiversity, he argued. Instead of putting the onus of compliance only on growers, industry institutions and government bodies should help in establishing compliance of regulations, he opined, adding, eco-friendly practices with improved soil health and carbon sequestration aligns with EUDR focus of protection of biodiversity and ecosystem.
Postponement of the implementation of the EU Deforestation Regulation is expected to buoy up the international market for rubber and related products in the short term, said Santosh Kumar, chairman of the Rubber Committee of the United Planters’ Association of Southern India.
“There were ambiguities and concerns in the market. Now that the EUDR will be implemented from 2026, the international market will have a positive impact in the short term,” he said. According to Rubber Board Executive Director M. Vasanthagesan, with the postponement of the regulation by an year, there is more time to prepare the rubber sector. The measures will continue, he added.
The board has entered into an agreement with Hyderabad-based TRST01 as its technology partner to issue due diligence certificates to rubber exporters. “We recently held a stakeholders meeting and will start registering the exporters. We plan to do it in phases, starting with select districts in Kerala. The small-scale exporters will pay an user-fee and register,” he said.
Industry sources said that of the annual production of about 8.5 lakh tonnes of natural rubber, only 4,000 tonnes are exported directly. However, exporters of rubber products will have to source from the growers who are compliant with the EUDR and so the impact will be on the growers.
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> Business> Industry / by Mini Tejaswi & M Soundariya Preetha / November 17th, 2024
Supply issues drive prices higher, shipment volumes drop marginally.
Thanks to the surging trend in global Robusta prices, India’s coffee exports for the financial year ending March 2024 touched a new high in value terms.
Despite a marginal decline in the volumes, shipments were at a new record. In fact, financial year 2023-24 was the third consecutive year during which Indian coffee shipments registered a new record.
In dollar terms, Indian coffee shipments registered an increase of 12.5 per cent to $1.26 billion over $1.12 billion in the 2022-23 fiscal. Similarly in the rupee terms, exports were up 16 per cent at ₹10,491 crore over ₹9,033 crore.
In quantity terms, the exports saw a marginal decline of 2.5 per cent at 3.88 lakh tonnes over 3.98 lakh tonnes in 2022-23.
Supply issues
The global robusta prices are at a three-decade high on supply issues in the top producing countries such as Vietnam and Brazil. This has worked to the advantage of the Indian coffee sector, where robusta is the most widely-produced variety. As a result of high robusta prices, the per unit realisation for Indian exporters went up by about a fifth to ₹2.7 lakh per tonne during 2023-24 compared with ₹2.26 lakh in the previous financial year.
“A combination of factors such as the good market prices for Indian coffee, supply side disruptions in Brazil and Vietnam have helped push up the exports” said K G Jagadeesha, Secretary and CEO, Coffee Board. “Our export quantity in the last three years has increased principally from instant coffee,” he said.
India exports over about two-thirds of the around 3.5 lakh tonnes of coffee produced in the country. It also imports cheaper robusta coffee to re-export them after value addition.
Ramesh Rajah, President, Coffee Exporters Association, said, most of the increase in export value during financial year 2023-24 has come from the robustas. The demand is good and the shipments during the last two quarters of the financial year have been better than the earlier quarters.
Farmgate prices
Farmgate prices of robustas in India have overtaken the arabicas in the recent weeks, tracking the global uptrend. Robusta parchment prices are ruling at ₹14,000-14,500 per 50 kg bag, while the robusta cherry, the widely-produced coffee variety in the country, is ruling at ₹8,500-8,950. Arabica cherry coffee is hovering around ₹8,000-8,300 per bag, while Arabica parchment is ruling at around ₹13,900-14,300.
In fact, Indian robusta parchment AB is commanding a premium of $700-750 a tonne over the London terminal prices, while the premiums for robusta cherry is hovering around $350-400 per tonne.
Italy, Germany, Russia and UAE are among the major destinations for the Indian coffees. For the crop year 2023-24 starting October, the Coffee Board, in its post-blossom estimates, has projected a crop size of 3.74 lakh tonnes over the previous year’s final estimates of 3.52 lakh tonnes.
source: http://www.thehindubusinessline.com / Business Line, The Hindu / Home> Economy> Agri Business / by Vishwanath Kulkarni / April 02nd, 2024
Anitha Nanda Appanervanda, a 61-year-old coffee farmer from Coorg, Karnataka, stands as a symbol of determination, sustainability, and empowerment. Over the course of her 22-year journey, Anitha has not only established a successful coffee farm but has also transformed the lives of hundreds of women in her community, fostering a culture of eco-friendly farming practices.
A passion for farming rooted in childhood
Born and raised in Bengaluru, Anitha’s passion for farming took root in her childhood. Every school vacation, she would visit her grandfather’s coffee estate in Coorg, a place that quickly became her second home. The vast expanse of coffee plants, the rich biodiversity, and the sense of peace found in the hills left an indelible mark on her young mind. “From those early days, I knew I wanted to return to the hills and be part of coffee farming,” she fondly recalls. This deep connection to the land paved the way for her lifelong dedication to sustainable agriculture.
Her dream started to take shape after she married Nanda Belliappa, a fellow coffee farmer from Coorg. Together, they took over the family-owned Surya Kiran Estate, where Anitha embarked on her mission to blend her passion for farming with eco-friendly practices.
Despite her enthusiasm, the road to success was not easy. In the early years, Anitha and her husband faced numerous challenges. Coffee farming requires patience, and the couple struggled to produce good harvests from their robusta coffee plants. “It took almost 10 years before we saw good yields,” she shares, highlighting the perseverance and dedication it took to build the farm.
Their breakthrough came when they adopted intercropping techniques, blending coffee cultivation with black pepper. This method not only boosted productivity but also contributed to a more sustainable farming system. Today, they cultivate 110 acres of robusta and 40 acres of arabica coffee, a testament to their hard work and commitment to innovation in farming.
Anitha’s approach to farming is deeply rooted in her desire to protect the environment. Situated in the biodiversity-rich region of Coorg, her coffee estate is more than just a farm – it is a sanctuary for wildlife. Her coffee plants grow under the protective canopy of rainforest trees, a practice known as shade-grown coffee farming. This method helps maintain the natural balance of the ecosystem, providing shelter for birds, insects, and other wildlife.
“We must protect this land from climate change and global warming,” she asserts, emphasising the role that sustainable practices play in preserving the environment for future generations. Anitha’s farm has been awarded Rainforest Alliance Certification, recognising her dedication to eco-friendly farming.
While she remains deeply connected to traditional farming methods, Anitha is not afraid to embrace modern technology when it benefits the farm. She uses machines for irrigation and weeding, which helps reduce labour and improve efficiency. However, the core of her farming philosophy remains grounded in traditional practices that have been passed down through generations.
Anitha’s success is not just about coffee. She has diversified her farm by growing black pepper and areca nuts, a strategy that has made her farm more resilient and sustainable. This diversification has allowed her to reduce dependency on a single crop and has opened up new streams of income for her family.
Empowering women and building a community
Anitha’s contributions go far beyond her own farm. As an active member of Biota Coffee FPC and the secretary of the Codagu Women’s Coffee Awareness Body (CWCAB), she has empowered around 400 women in her community. This group, which was founded in 2002 during a time when coffee prices were low, has provided women with the support they need to embrace eco-friendly farming practices and achieve fair prices for their crops.
For Anitha, farming is not just a livelihood – it’s a community effort. Through CWCAB, she has helped women coffee farmers promote sustainable farming and spread awareness about the benefits of coffee. Each year, on International Coffee Day, they celebrate by giving away free coffee to locals and tourists, a gesture that symbolises their pride in the hard work that goes into every cup.
Anitha’s dedication to sustainable farming has not gone unnoticed. In 2020, she received a Certificate of Appreciation from the Indian Institute of Spices Research (ICAR-IISR) for her pioneering work in intercropping black pepper with coffee. “It was a proud moment,” she recalls, noting that it validated the years of effort she had poured into her farm.
Despite her success, Anitha continues to innovate and learn. She has recently taken up beekeeping, recognising the crucial role bees play in pollination and the overall health of her farm. This new venture is another example of her commitment to maintaining a healthy, balanced ecosystem.
Coffee Farming: A source of Income and Sustainability
Sustainable farming has proven to be both environmentally and financially rewarding for Anitha. She cultivates robusta coffee, which has been particularly profitable in recent years. Producing around 19-20 bags per acre, she earns Rs. 10,000 per bag, while her arabica parchment fetches a higher price at Rs. 16,000 per bag. This strong financial return is a direct result of her commitment to eco-friendly practices.
While she does use some fertilisers, Anitha avoids harmful chemicals, focusing instead on maintaining native trees and enhancing soil health. Her approach blends the best of traditional and modern farming methods, ensuring that her land remains fertile and productive for generations to come.
A legacy of passion and purpose
Anitha Nanda’s journey from city life to becoming a successful coffee farmer in Coorg is a testament to her passion for the land and her determination to create a better future for her community. Through her sustainable farming practices, she has not only preserved Coorg’s rich biodiversity but has also empowered hundreds of women to take control of their livelihoods.
For Anitha, coffee is not just a crop – it’s a legacy, a connection to her roots, and a vision for a sustainable future. Her story is a powerful reminder that with hard work, care for the environment, and a strong community, anything is possible.
source: http://www.theorganicmagazine.com / The Organic Magazine / Home / by Tanishq Verma
Anitha Nanda, a coffee farmer from Coorg, blends 22 years of farming expertise with sustainable practices on her 150-acre estate. With strong community involvement, she has empowered around 400 women and helped preserve Coorg’s rich biodiversity.
Anitha Nanda Appanervanda is her coffee farm
Coffee farming is more than just growing beans—it’s the source of livelihood for around 2,50,000 coffee growers across India. As of 2024, India ranks sixth in the world for coffee production, with Karnataka being the top coffee-producing state. One of the most beautiful areas in Karnataka is Coorg (Kodagu), where Anitha Nanda Appanervanda lives, a woman who has turned her love for coffee into a lifelong journey. With a passion for farming and a dedication to sustainability, she has become a successful coffee farmer, making a big impact on her community.
A Childhood Love for Farming
Born and raised in Bangalore, Anitha’s interest in farming started during her childhood. She spent every vacation at her grandfather’s coffee estate in Coorg, where she fell in love with the land. “I knew from those early days that I wanted to return to the hills and be part of coffee farming,” she shares.
After marrying Nanda Belliappa, a coffee farmer from Coorg, her dream became a reality. Together, they managed Surya Kiran Estate, a family-owned coffee plantation.
Challenges and Success in Coffee Farming
Coffee farming presented significant challenges for Anitha and her husband in the beginning. Initially, they struggled to achieve a good harvest, but their dedication to sustainable practices led them to adopt intercropping techniques, blending coffee cultivation with black pepper to boost productivity. Anitha recalls, “It took almost 10 years before we saw good yields from our robusta coffee plants.” Their patience and hard work paid off, as they now cultivate 110 acres of robusta and 40 acres of arabica coffee.
For Anitha, farming is beyond merely producing coffee; it’s a commitment to protect the environment for future generations. Her farm is situated in Coorg, a region rich in biodiversity, where coffee is grown under the protective canopy of rainforest trees. “Our shade-grown coffee farms provide shelter for birds, insects, and wildlife, helping to maintain the natural balance of our ecosystem. We must protect this land from climate change and global warming,” she emphasizes. This dedication to sustainability has earned Anitha’s estate Rainforest Alliance Certification.
Anitha Nanda addressing audience about black pepper cultivation
Anitha encourages fellow farmers to embrace sustainable practices that safeguard the environment while also ensuring stable incomes. “We need to secure fair prices, but we should never harm the land that sustains us,” she asserts. Although her farming methods are primarily organic, she does use some fertilizers. “I avoid harmful chemicals and focus on natural methods. I maintain native trees and utilize weeding machines to enhance soil health and preserve the environment,” she explains.
Blending Tradition with Modern Technology
While they rely on traditional farming methods, Anitha and her husband have also introduced some modern techniques to make their work easier. “We use machines for irrigation and weeding where we can. But for the most part, we stick to the old ways that work well for us,” she explains.
In addition to coffee, they have also planted pepper and areca in some parts of their land, which helps them diversify and make the farm more sustainable.
Coffee Farming: A Source of Income and Community Support
The money they earn from coffee farming can vary depending on market prices, but Anitha says that robusta coffee has been very profitable in recent years. “Our costs are about Rs. 70,000 per acre for robusta and Rs. 1 lakh for arabica, but with high coffee prices, it’s worth it.” She produces 19-20 bags per acre of Robusta, with the current price for Robusta cherry being Rs.10,000 per bag, bringing in strong financial returns through her sustainable farming practices. Additionally, her Arabica parchment yields 6-7 bags per acre, fetching a price of Rs.16,000, further boosting her income.
Beyond farming, Anitha is an active member of Biota Coffee FPC, an Indian producer organization, and she serves as the secretary of the Codagu Women’s Coffee Awareness Body (CWCAB). This group, started in 2002, helps women coffee farmers promote eco-friendly farming practices and spread awareness about the benefits of drinking coffee. “We started this group when coffee prices were very low. Now we have 400 members who support each other and promote coffee.”
Anitha Nanda with her co-farmers in her coffee farm
Recognition for Sustainable Farming Practices
In 2020, Anitha was recognized for her efforts to promote sustainable farming. She received a Certificate of Appreciation from the Indian Institute of Spices Research (ICAR-IISR) for her work in intercropping black pepper with coffee. “It was a proud moment for me, showing that all our hard work towards sustainable farming was being appreciated,” she says.
Important Role of Women in Farming
Anitha believes that women bring a unique strength to farming. “Women are detail-oriented and care deeply for the land, plants, and the workers who help us. Our connection with the farm and the community makes a big difference,” she explains.
Since 2016, Anitha’s group, CWCAB, has celebrated International Coffee Day every year on October 1 by giving away free coffee to locals and tourists in Coorg. “It’s our way of sharing the love for coffee and celebrating the hard work that goes into every cup,” she says proudly.
Learning and Evolving: The Role of Beekeeping
Even after 22 years as a coffee farmer, Anitha continues to learn and innovate. Recently, she took up beekeeping, understanding its vital role in pollination and the overall health of her farm.
Anitha Nanda pursuing her bee keeping passion
Journey of Passion and Purpose
Anitha Nanda’s journey from city life to becoming a successful coffee farmer is a story of passion, hard work, and dedication. Her love for coffee farming, combined with her commitment to sustainable practices, has not only benefited her own farm but also her community.
For Anitha, coffee is more than just a crop—it’s a connection to her roots, and a legacy she hopes to pass on to future generations. Her story is a reminder that with determination, care for the land, and a strong community, anything is possible.
source: http://www.krishijagran.com / Krishi Jagran / Home> Success Story / by Shreetu Singh / October 01st, 2024
A band of five successful farmers are orchestrating a comeback for the king of spices.
What’s the best way to encourage farmers to adopt modern agricultural practices? Demonstrate success. For them, seeing is believing. That’s exactly what five very successful black pepper farmers have done in Mudigere town in Chikmagalur, Karnataka. In 2013, after being adjudged as the best pepper farmer in the country by International Pepper Community, K R Keshav along with four like-minded individuals started Black Gold League, a non-profit extension service with the sole aim of reversing dwindling pepper productivity.
From time immemorial, the Western Ghats in Malabar was the only source for pepper. India ruled to roost up until the ‘50s with 80 percent market share and then slowly lost its vines to foot rot caused by a fungus Phytophthora. Today, pepper production in Kerala is a pale shadow of itself. Two decades back, Kerala accounted for 95 percent of domestic production with Karnataka contributing about two percent and the rest came from Tamil Nadu, Andaman and Maharashtra. Yields never exceeded 280kilos per hectare.
Pepper is a vine that trails on a support, or standards. In India, it is normally grown as an intercrop in plantations using live standards such as silky oak, jackfruit, gliricidia, Indian coral and many others trees that allow vine to climb easily. The pepper is also grown as intercrop in coconut and arecanut farms.
But in South East Asia, especially in Vietnam, massive expansion of pepper growing acreage was achieved by using dead wood as standards. Up to 2500 wooden logs with 2-3 vines stapled on to each standard are planted in a hectare. This intense mono cropping allowed Vietnam to rapidly ascend as the largest grower in the world as productivity per hectare increased manifolds to 7,500 kilos. As wooden logs became expensive, some farmers in Vietnam and Cambodia have even tried trailing vines on concrete poles and brick columns but with very limited success. The intense monocropping has its disadvantages. Pepper is a shade loving crop and prolonged exposure to direct sunlight results in physiological disorders and diseases spread quickly in monocropped farms.
Not to be left behind, some farmers like Mr. Keshav have achieved yields comparable to Vietnam by perfecting soil nutrient management, shade regulation and preventive measures to keep diseases at bay.
For coffee planters in Chikmagalur, who have been harassed by the white stem borer for decades, the Black Gold League training programme has been a savior. The meticulously designed programme, covers the entire gamut of black pepper production cycle—from nursery management to packaging hygiene. Apart from emphasis on ecofriendly practices, it also includes field visits and live demonstrations from scientists. This has made the programme wildly popular as more farmers have begun recording better yields by following the recommended methods. While dried pepper is traded in kilos, the quality is determined by its density i.e. gram per liter weight. The bulk density can vary between 300g/l to 600g/l. For every 10-gram increase in density, the quoted price goes up by a percent. The domestic price for bold grade is hovering around Rs.720 per kilo.
The six-year bull run in price has also made it easier for farmers to invest in technologies to improve productivity. Some are sending soil and leaves for testing twice a year to manage plant nutrients at an optimal level. The cost of analyzing a single leaf petiole is about Rs.6,500 and Rs. 900 for a soil sample. It is with these precision-farming techniques, Karnataka is beginning to cement its position as the top producer in the country and Chikmagalur has already displaced Kerala’s Idukki as the capital of Indian black pepper.
The farmer-to-farmer knowledge transfer network now has set bigger ambitions. They want to promote high quality shade grown Indian pepper to the global community and highlight the flora and fauna that live together with the vines. The first global Black Gold League conference is scheduled in early June at Chikmagalur.
Vietnam farmers too are realizing the hidden costs of short-term focus. Many consignments have been rejected due to high pesticide residues and long dry spell this year is set to drastically cut production and increase disease incidences.
“In the long run, only shade grown pepper is sustainable. Chopping trees and using them as dead standards is counterproductive and unsustainable. We want to showcase to the world that high productivity can be achieved without disturbing the ecological balance of nature,” said Mohan G Alvares, co-founder and director of Black Gold League.
Aruna Urs farms in his village in Mysuru, Karnataka. He was co-founder and CEO of a database management company in Mysuru. Prior to that, he worked as an adviser to the government of Timor-Leste (East Timor).
Aruna blogs about farming, rural & agri economy on his blog, Rural Dispatch, a part of Business Standard’s platform, Punditry.
source: http://www.business-standard.com / Business Standard / Home> Opinion> Specials / by Aruna Urs / November 30th, 2015
Bengaluru, Sept 17 (PTI) Lok Sabha MP Yaduveer Krishnadatta Chamaraja Wadiyar on Tuesday said he has written to Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman to continue to exempt pepper from Goods and Services Tax (GST).
“Met Hon’ble FM Nirmala Sitharaman Ji to discuss GST exemption for black pepper, a vital issue for farmers in Kodagu, Hassan & Chikmagalur districts. Requested exemption continuation, citing agricultural produce classification & potential negative impact on farmers & exports (sic),” Wadiyar posted on X.
In his letter, a copy of which he had also posted on X, Wadiyar said that it has been brought to his notice that members of his Mysuru LS constituency, primarily from Kodagu district, have received notices from the GST office in Mysuru, stating that the sale of pepper grown at their plantation is subject to GST and that the planter also needs to be registered under the GST Act.
“The GST notice stems from a misunderstanding about the nature of the drying process. The pepper growers requisitioned me to bring to your kind attention that the drying process does not fundamentally alter the essential characteristics of pepper. It is primarily a preservation technique.
The GST Act’s definition of agricultural produce, clearly aligns with the nature of pepper, the treatment of similar commodities like paddy and chillies suggests that the classification of pepper as taxable product is inconsistent,” read the letter sent to the FM.
According to Wadiyar, the imposition of GST on these products could have significant negative consequences for the plantation districts of Karnataka, including Kodagu, Hassan and Chikkamagaluru, as well as for growers in Kerala and Tamil Nadu.
“It could lead to increased costs, reduced profit margins and potential job losses. Additionally. It could negatively impact exports, reducing India’s competitiveness in the global market,” he added.
Wadiyar requested in his letter that after drying of green pepper, this dried pepper could be given a separate HSN code and exempt it from GST applicability. PTI JR ROH
This report is auto-generated from PTI news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content.
source: http://www.theprint.in / The Print / Home> India / by PTI / September 17th, 2024
“There are a total of 3410 cases pending before several courts in forest encroachment cases in Madikeri division,” confirmed Bhaskar, Madikeri DCF.
Western Ghats / File photo
Madikeri :
Over 3,000 forest encroachment cases have been registered by the Kodagu division Forest Department even as some are in the eviction process. With Forest Minister Eshwar Kandre passing stringent orders to evict all encroachments across Western Ghats, department officials are on high alert to identify more encroachments in the district. While Kodagu is synonymous with greenery, not all greenery is forest land.
Land is increasingly being converted for commercial purposes. and converting forests into estates and estates into homestays/resorts, is interfering with the ecosystem. Eco-sensitive zones have recorded increased developmental activities, which in-turn increases human-wildlife conflict. Monsoon season adds to the fear in the district as well. However, Khandre’s order to evict encroachments comes as a huge relief, and the first step in protecting eco-sensitive zones in the district.
“There are a total of 3,410 forest encroachment cases in Madikeri division pending before several courts,” confirmed Madikeri DCF Bhaskar. He explained that these include a total of 5,551 acres of encroached forest land across Somwarpet, Madikeri, Bhagamandala, Kushalnagar and Sampaje forest ranges.
He added that there are a few cases pertaining to tribal possession of the forest region under the Forest Rights Act.
“There are 2,841 cases of under 3 acres of encroached forest land, and we have been ordered not to evict small encroachments as of now. However, encroachments of above 3 acres, will be dealt with strictly,” he added.
source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> Karnataka / by Prajna G R / August 05th, 2024
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