Concerted efforts are needed for coffee consumption to increase in northern India, said Hameed Haq, Managing Director, Tata Coffee, principal sponsor of the India International Coffee Festival (IICF).
“Thrust should be there to take coffee consumption from the South to North of India,” he said.
“We have taken new direction under India Coffee Trust to bring focus to the domestic consumption in India, which is low by any standards and, therefore, are trying to focus on North India which is a huge market to explore,” he said.
The fifth edition of the India International Coffee Festival (IICF) will be held in Bangalore at Lalit Ashok during January 21-25.
The Coffee Board and India Coffee Trust held its fourth edition of the IICF at New Delhi in 2012.
It was the first event outside Bangalore to give a wider exposure among the coffee drinkers in non-traditional areas such as Delhi to boost coffee consumption. “The event was taken to Delhi at the risk of adventuring in unknown waters but the resultsurprised us as we were greatly satisfied with the event.
It was a grand success by any standards,” said Jawaid Akthar, Coffee Board Chairman.
Now the steering committee of the IICF has decided that ideally the event should be alternated between Bangalore, the headquarters of coffee, and another destination preferably a consuming destination in the south.
FOCUS ON ENVIRONMENT
In addition to domestic consumption, the IICF is also to focus on environment.
“We as coffee growers have to keep in mind the changing demand on the environment. Globally, there is a lot more consciousness on coffee and the environment and during this festival, we will try and cover it all,” said Haq.
Haq further said the IICF started in 2002 and has evolved into a very mature international event and is being held at a right opportune time. Especially at a time when global coffee majors are eyeing Indian market.
NEW DIMENSIONS
“The coffee festivals are the right place to showcase Indian coffee globally; this festival has evolved over a period of time and taken certain new dimensions,” he explained.
IICF is also laying emphasis on quality.
“Of course, quality remains the benchmark and will be the differentiator to get us the premium in the world coffee market.
SMALL GROWERS
It is important to note that 95 per cent of coffee produced in the country is by small growers.
Corporates are very small, Tata Coffee being one of them,” said Haq.
FOCUS ON COORG
“We are hoping to extend our learning initially to the growers in Kodagu (Coorg) which forms a large part of the production base through the coffee trail, conference and workshops,” he added.
source: http://www.thehindubusinessline.com / Business Line / Home> Industry> Agri-Biz / by The Hindu Bureau anil.u@thehindu.co.in / Bangalore – October 16th, 2013
Domestic consumption growing at rate of 5-6% annually since 2010
The Coffee Board of India has estimated consumption in India to be around 125,000 tonnes for 2013. Domestic consumption is growing at a rate of 5-6 per cent annually since 2010.
This is almost double the figure when compared with that of United States Department of Agriculture, which recently pegged the Indian consumption at 66,000 tonnes, while the International Coffee Organisation (ICO) has estimated it at over 100,000 tonnes. “We have commissioned a study to assess the exact consumption of coffee in India and the results of the study will be available by the end of December this year,” Coffee Board of India Chairman Jawaid Akhtar said. He said the domestic consumption was 58,000 tonnes in 1987 when the country’s population was 820 million. In 2011, the consumption crossed the 1,00,000 tonnes mark, while the population touched 1.21 billion. “About 7-8 years ago, the domestic consumption was growing very slowly and now, it is growing faster. South India is the largest consumer of coffee at almost 75 per cent of the total consumption. The Coffee Board is making efforts to push the consumption in western, northern and eastern parts of the country,” Akhtar said.
“The Board is organising events like India International Coffee Festival (IICF) to project Indian coffee as ‘good coffee’ and specialty coffee. In this direction, we organised our IICF at New Delhi in 2012,” he said.
Recently, the ICO stated that the consumption of coffee is growing rapidly in exporting countries like Brazil, Indonesia and India. It has pegged the Indian consumption at 114,000 tonnes, showing a growth of 4.8 per cent annually.
“Assuming that the consumption has grown only at 5-6 per cent year on year since 2010, the consumption in 2013 could be in the range of 125,000 tonnes,” Akhtar told Business Standard.
The Coffee Board has pegged the production of coffee for the year 2013-14 at 347,000 tonnes in its post blossom estimates. However, the chairman stated that it could come down by at least 10 per cent due to heavy rains between June and August this year, which resulted into ‘wet foot’ and ‘black rot’ diseases.
In an effort to increase awareness about drinking coffee and its health benefits, the Coffee Board in association with India Coffee Trust is organizing the fifth edition of IICF 2014 at Bangalore from January 21 to 25, 2014.
“The event provides avenues for enterprise development through value addition while simultaneously contributing to the creation of skill based jobs, particularly in non-conventional coffee drinking areas at the consumer end. To facilitate entrepreneurial development, the Coffee Board has been providing training sessions on coffee roasting, brewing among others,” Akhtar said.
IICF 2014 is expected to see participation of 1,000 delegates for the conference and workshops and over 10,000 visitors at the exhibition. National and international experts in the coffee industry including policy makers, exporters, manufacturers and planters are likely to attend this flagship event of the Coffee Board.
source: http://www.business-standard.com / Business Standard / Home> Markets> Commodities> Food & Edible Oils / by Mahesh R Kulkarni / Bangalore – October 14th, 2013
The conference will be held from Jan 21-25, 2014. The previous edition of IICF was held in Delhi in 2012
Bangalore is set to host the fifth edition of India International Coffee Festival (IICF 2014), the flagship event of the coffee sector, from January 21-25, 2014. The Coffee Board of India is organising the event, which will showcase India as an emerging global coffee destination.
The previous edition of IICF was held in Delhi in 2012.
“The IICF 2014 will be all about in depth discussion on the latest in coffee market and retailing in India, on the cutting edge developments in coffee technology relevant to the Indian scenario with papers and demonstrations by world renowned experts,” Coffee Board said.
The event comprises conference and exhibition on the coffee sector. The conference aims to capture the changes taking place in the coffee sector and will discuss current trends related to production as well as take a close look at the prevailing market scenario. It will focus on issues such as changing role of Arabica and Robusta, health aspects of coffee, innovative and alternate channels of coffee delivery to consumer among others.
It will also lay stress on the changing patterns of coffee production including farm mechanisation, discuss parameters of good coffee and take a close look at sustainable production methods including prudent water management, the Board said.
The Expo of IICF will showcase latest technologies, new products and services and new coffees and blends.
There will be workshops on processing, brewing, roasting, espresso making, cooking with coffee, art on silk and coffee entrepreneurship.
source: http://www.business-standard.com / Business Standard / Home> Companies> News / by BS Reporter / Bangalore – October 11th, 2013
Jawaid Akhtar, the Chairman of Coffee Board of India, was elected as the Chairperson of the International Coffee Council at the meetings of the International Coffee Organization which took place on 9 September 2013 in Belo Horizonte, Brazil. The 111th session of the Council and the meetings took place from 9 September 2013- 12 September 2013.
At the same time, Conradin Rasi of Switzerland was elected as the Vice-Chairperson of the International Coffee Council. The Council also appointed Juan Esteban Orduz of Colombia as the Chairperson of the Consultative Forum.
About the International Coffee Organization (ICO)
• The International Coffee Organization was established in 1963 in London.
• It was initiated with the United Nations (UN) to increase cooperation among the nations which produce, distribute and consume coffee.
• The International Coffee Organization was formed as a result of the five-year International Coffee Agreement signed in 1962 at the UN in New York.
• Till the year 2011, it comprised of 39 members, which included 33 exporting nations, 5 importing countries and one importing community, i.e., the European Union.
• The highest body of the ICO is International Coffee Council. It meets two times a year and the Private Sector Consultative Board of ICO includes 16 representatives from coffee production and consumption industries.
• The members of ICO represent 97 percent of the world coffee production and more than 80 percent of the world consumption.
source: http://www.jagranjosh.com / Jagran Josh / Home> Current Affairs / September 21st, 2013
Each year the Coffee Board of India (CBI) invites applications from the coffee growers of India for the annual cupping competition, The Flavor of India -The Fine Cup Award.
The competitions is held for Arabica (washed/unwashed), Robusta (washed/unwashed), and the Specialty coffees of Arabica and Robusta.
The outstanding coffees from the national level are chosen for the final cupping by the internationally jury consisting of eminent cup tasters from different countries.
In this, the 12th year of competition, the CBI received a total of 221 coffee samples. Out of these, 40 samples were selected for cup quality evaluation by the international jury in the finals held at Nice, France on the eve of SCAE World of coffee prestigious three-day event held in June.
The winner of Best Arabica was the Pedabayalu Estate’s Arabica Plantation SLN-4.
The Poabs Estates’ Organic Arabica SLN-9 took out the Best Specialty Arabica prize, while the prize for the Best Specialty Robusta went to Harley B Estates’ Old Robusta.
The Best Robusta category was won by Margolly Estates’ Robusta Parchment AB.
The full details of the winners in all categories and regions can be found on CBI’s website: www.indiacoffee.org.
source: http://www.globalcoffeereview.com / Global Coffee Review / Home / Monday – September 16th, 2013
Ministry willing to commit resources, expertise for purpose; discusses proposal with Coffee Board
The Ministry of Commerce and Industry is considering creating an Indian mild arabica coffee brand for the promotion of arabica coffee in international markets. It had discussed the idea with the Coffee Board and was coming out with a brand initiative under the public-private partnership (PPP) model, said a senior ministry official.
“We don’t want Arabica coffee to die out because of the impact it has on the environment of the Western Ghats. The Indian mild arabica coffee is very highly priced. The only way to get better prices for our coffee is to brand it, package it and promote it in foreign markets,” said J S Deepak, additional secretary in the commerce ministry. Addressing the 120th annual conference of the United Planters’ Association of Southern India (Upasi) here on Tuesday, he said, “The ministry is willing to commit resources and expertise required for promoting an Indian mild Arabica brand.”
Planters participating at the conference feel the move is significant, owing to the dwindling acreage and production of arabica coffee in India. For 2013-14, production was estimated to decline to about 80,000 tonnes from 98,600 tonnes in 2012-13, said Nishant R Gurjer, chairman of the Karnataka Planters’ Association. Gurjer said the move to create an Indian brand for arabica would go a long way in preserving and promoting arabica coffee.
Deepak said the government was concerned about the white stem borer attack on arabica gardens and a solution to this would be found by the Coffee Research Institute soon. On Upasi’s demand for reconstituting commodity boards (coffee and spices), Deepak said the proposal was in the final stages and the new boards would be announced very soon. “The ministry has taken the suggestion of Upasi for including members of plantation associations on the new boards and it would make necessary changes in the new boards,” he said.
He assured the plantation sector the ministry would provide all help, including the help from Indian Brand Equity Foundation, for branding of Indian spices. On the delay in approving 12th Plan schemes for various commodities, he said the proposals were pending with the finance ministry. He expressed hope these would be approved by the end of September. “It is a matter of great concern for us. Most of the subsidy schemes will be continued in the 12th Plan,” he added.
source: http://www.articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> Markets> Commodities> Other Commodities / by Mahesh R Kulkarni / Coonoor – September 03rd, 2013
Wild elephant menace in the coffee plantations in various parts of Kodagu has been increasing every passing day. The reason for the increase in the elephants entry into coffee plantations is the jackfruits and bananas grown in the coffee plantations, which draw attention of the elephants in search of food. In order to save their coffee plantations from elephants, coffee growers have begun to destroy banana and jackfruit yields in their plantations
Wild elephant menace is rampant in Aiguru, Kandanakolli, Kodlipet in Somwarpet taluk and Srimangala, Ammathi, Ponnampet in Virajpet taluk. Forests in these areas mostly comprise of teak wood which is why elephants are falling short of food. In addition, the water pits dug to supply water to coffee plants too are inviting elephants to enter coffee plantations to drink water. Repeated requests of the villagers to the forest department to chase elephants back to the forest have gone futile. It can be recalled that a two wheeler rider was killed by a wild elephant near Aiguru a fortnight ago.
Disappointed over the lukewarm response from the forest department and the failure of solar fencing, now the coffee growers have found their own ways to keep away the elephants by destroying fruit bearing plants like banana and jackfruit in their estates. One can view jackfruits piled up on the roadside near Aiguru on the way from Madikeri to Somwarpet. Growers hope the elephants to hog these jackfruits instead of entering into their plantations.
In fact, some of the growers have also made attempts to cut jackfruit trees, but could not as they do not posses the trees rights. In many estates, the coffee growers have cut the banana plants.
Speaking to Deccan Herald, coffee plantation labour Murugesh said that with the broken solar fences, the coffee growers have no other option but to cut jackfruit and banana plantations.
source: http://www.deccanherald.com / Deccan Herald / Home> District / by Srikanth Kallammanavar / Madikeri, DHNS / June 20th, 2013
R&D outfit to focus on developing high yielding clonal strains, resistant to White Stem borer, Leaf Rust In an effort to increase productivity of Indian coffee, major plantation associations in India have mooted a proposal to set up a privately-funded research organisation. The main objective of the research outfit is to develop new clonal strains for both Arabica and Robusta coffee.
Plantation associations such as the United Planters’ Association of South India (Upasi), the Karnataka Planters’ Association (KPA), the Karnataka Growers’ Federation, the Hassan District Planters’ Association and the Waynad Coffee Growers’ Association have decided to form the first-of-its-kind private sector initiative, Coffee Growers for Research, to to develop new high yielding and pest-resistant varieties, a KPA official said. These associations together have formed a joint action committee, which is in the process of finalising the structure of the research outfit.
“Over the last many years, coffee production in India has stagnated around 300,000 tonnes, while many other countries like Brazil, Ethiopia, Honduras and Vietnam have achieved manifold rise in coffee yields. We (India) need to catch up with world leaders in coffee production in the coming years, or else, we will be left at the level we are presently,” D Govindappa Jayaram, vice-chairman, KPA, told Business Standard on the eve of 120th annual conference of Upasi, here on Monday.
For example, the yield of coffee has increased 94 per cent in Brazil to 1,257 kg per hectare (ha) in 2011 from 649 kg per ha in 1971. Similarly, Vietnam has achieved a 540 per cent jump in yield to 2,188 kg per ha in 2011 from 342 kg per ha in 1971. While India’s yield has declined three per cent to 838 kg per ha in 2011 from 861 kg per ha in 1971. The need to form a private sector research body for coffee was felt by the planters as the government-funded research wing, under the aegis of the Coffee Board of India, has not done enough research in developing high yielding coffee varieties, which are resistant to white stem borer, leaf rust, tolerant to berry borer in Arabica variety, Jayaram said.
The last new variety released by the Coffee Board was the Chandragiri variety about five years ago, which was released by Brazil’s IAPAR in 1959. The joint action committee, in its proposed submission to the government, has highlighted several challenges faced by the coffee sector such as over-production in major coffee producing countries, escalating cost of inputs, especially the very high cost of labour, and the inability to introduce large scale mechanisation. The need of the hour is to improve productivity and production of coffee, he added. The new research outfit will be completely self-funded will start with a corpus of Rs 2-3 crore, Jayaram said, adding the new research body would focus on selection of good mother plants from various plantations across the country.
The committee is also focusing on introducing a special scheme with incentives for production of Arabica coffee as Arabica coffee area was drastically declining, he said.
The committee is of the view that the only way is to provide positive research and development that can directly contribute to achieving higher yield. The development of good seed material and clones with high yield, which are resistant to pests and diseases, drought resistant and have positive attributes in the cup is a matter of great urgency and importance, the Upasi said in its latest report on plantation sector.
For the Robusta variety, the committee said there was a need to develop clonal strains which were high yielding, good in the cup, drought tolerant to cope with climate change, resistant to shot hole borer and suitable for drip irrigation and mechanisation.
Development of indigenous machinery which help in efficient management of various cultural operations; R&D at the Coffee Research Station and substations to world standards and restoration of the Coffee Evaluation Committee and Mechanisation Committee are some other initiatives mooted by various plantation associations.
source: http://www.business-standard.com / Business Standard / Home> Markets> Commodities> Food & Edible Oil / by Mahesh Kulkarni / Coonoor (TamilNadu) – September 02nd, 2013
What comes to mind when you think of Kodagu or Madikeri? Coffee, homestays, waterfalls, elephant camps, Tibetan settlements, meaty-pork stews? How many of us know that Kodagu, unlike the other districts of Karnataka, is home to a range of wildlife species? And in particular, birds and reptiles?
I found the answers in a plantation located in Galibeedu village, Madikeri. I visited a 25-acre plantation, in which coffee, pepper, cardamom and vanilla are cultivated for a two-day stay. It is run by a North Indian couple who quit their jobs 20 years ago to develop this piece of land into an eco initiative that can be enjoyed by all.
The plantation is dense with coffee and other spices grown under the inter-cropping method. Guests are accommodated in tents and a handful of cottages. Locally grown organic food is served to them. The entire plantation is run on solar power, bringing it as close to the nature as possible.
The plantation also serves Civet Coffee, which is made out of beans that are defecated by the civet, a wild cat, that feasts on ripe coffee berries. The beans are washed, sundried and roasted to yield maximum aroma. Due to the enzymatic activity and the touch of amino acids in the Civet’s gut, these beans acquire unique flavours—making it less bitter, more aromatic and hence one of the most expensive and exclusive kinds of coffee in the world.
The night called for a few pleasant surprises—the deafening sounds of the crickets followed by a soothing array of fireflies. Though their charm might be ephemeral, they have a magical effect on you. I tried so hard not to blink, fearing the loss of a few glints. The minimally-lit tents with below 10-watt bulbs paved a perfect setting for this magical moment.
The plantation is an ornithologist’s delight. I spotted the Malabar Whistling Thrush, Woodpeckers, Racket Tailed Drongos, Fly Catchers and Kingfishers among several tiny birds. The plantation is also home to stick insects, hibernating butterflies, tree frogs and leaf frogs. Some belonged to the Lateralus family and are endemic to the Western Ghats region. The frogs were a sight to behold; they changed colours, had shiny-green skin, big, bulgy eyes and had perched themselves on twigs as if waiting for us to visit them.
My two-day stay passed away in a blur and I decided to walk down to the much talked-about stream surrounded by birds about five kilometres away before departing. As I trekked down, the clouds got thicker and darker. I spotted a flock of birds, all different in colour and kind, perched on a tree. It suddenly began to drizzle and the birds in search of shelter, flew from one tree to the other at once. The swarming birds flew low, making it one of my most colourful memories—tints of hidden orange and blue, reds and greys exposed—a flying rainbow indeed.
Ignoring the rain and time, I soaked and hiked at my own pace. When I got back, I was the only one for breakfast and I had missed out on my last dig at the sumptuous avocados too! Oh well!! What more can one ask for when you had the experience of a flying rainbow?
source: http://www.deccanherald.com / Deccan Herald / Home> Supplements> Spectrum / by Aishwarya Madineni, DHNS / September 03rd, 2013
Rain Man: Abraham Tharakan with his son, Bobby / Photo: K.K. Mustafah / The Hindu Abraham Tharakan’s family has been recording rainfall since the late 1950s. He talks about his family’s unique engagement and its relevance in these times. Shilpa Nair Anand learns about the family’s unique engagement and its relevance in these times.
Rain is on everyone’s mind this year, every millimetre and inch of rain is a conversation piece. But a family in Muvattupuzha is ‘into’ rainfall and has been recording it for close to 50 years.
There is a story to how Abraham Tharakan’s family got interested in rains, specifically in measuring rainfall. His grandfather, his namesake, a native of Thaikattussery, moved from the traditional coconut and paddy cultivation into plantation agriculture. He bought land in Kothamangalam in the late 1920s or early 30s for this purpose.
“My father, also Abraham Tharakan, had the green thumb. He started cardamom, coffee and rubber plantations. And then in the 1950s he heard about coffee plantations in Coorg,” Abraham Tharakan reminisces. A huge photograph of his late father dominates the drawing room in the house in Muvattupuzha. A smaller oil painting of his grandfather rests on a corner table.
Abraham Tharakan’s family has been recording rainfall since the late 1950s. It started out as a planter’s necessity in Coorg, which it still is, Tharakan says. He shows records of the rains in Muvattapuzha from 1988. If you are wondering how much rainfall Muvattupuzha received in July 1989, all you need to do is refer to his meticulously well-kept records. It rained 150 days in 2002 as compared to the 124 days in 2001; in 2010 Muvattupuzha got 4. 25 inches of rain in one-and-a-half hours and the same year it got 7.75 inches over a 24 hour period. “I had records of rain in Kothamangalam from the 1970s too. Some of those were lost when we shifted here.”
Dedicated notebooks
The ‘records’ are maintained in notebooks dedicated to recording rainfall. Some of the books are informal notebooks. But the records since 2000 are in a specific notebook, which he bought from Coorg. “When Kodavas buy property, one of the first records they ask for, even before the land deed, is the rain chart. Their conversations start with ‘how much did you get?’”
The record-keeping started with his father, during his days in Coorg. He remembers seeing his first rain gauge as a 10-year-old. “There was hardly any irrigation there and planters solely depended on rain. Coffee is a one time crop and untimely rain can damage the crop. The idea behind monitoring weather conditions was to help agricultural operations,” he says. When his father returned to Thaikattusserry (Alappuzha) he installed a rain gauge there. Father and son would exchange notes on the rainfall received, something which he does today with his sons, Ebbey and Bobby. The coastal belt gets less rainfall as compared to the high ranges, he says. “If Muvattupuzha gets an average of 110 inches of rain then Kochi would get an average of 90 inches of rainfall,” says this engineer-turned planter.
As we chat, his son informs him that Kothamangalam has already recorded 13 inches of rainfall till July 8. When Tharakan talks about the rain it becomes clear how little we know about it. “There is a difference between getting four inches of rain and three-and-a-half inches.” An agriculturist needs to know the pattern of rainfall received. He shows the rainfall patterns of 2010 and 2011, during the monsoon, and the chart for 2012. The charts show a clear deficit of rainfall during the June-July period.
“If someone had been monitoring rainfall then the power shortage could have been anticipated and corrective measures could have been taken before it was too late.” He is not only talking from a planter’s point of view.
He is against the attitude of taking rain for granted, “you cannot sit back thinking it will rain because it rained the year before. There is all this talk about the water table and rain water harvesting…but how much do we know about rain?”
He even records the number of days it rains each year. Ebbey and Bobby measure the rainfall and make the records.
“My sons go on the Net for accurate weather forecasts. If it rains more in November rubber tapping is affected. This way we know what the weather is going to be; so we can be prepared. The Indian Meteorological Department is very accurate and so are the satellite pictures in The Hindu. The various websites are extremely helpful. Information is more detailed; it is very different from what it was in my time.”
He has not missed a single day of recording rainfall. Outings are planned in such a way that they don’t hamper the recording, his wife says. There is always somebody around to monitor rainfall.
Another cause
Abraham Tharakan is a member of the All Kerala Parents’ Association of the Deaf. The cause of the deaf is close to his heart as both his sons are hearing impaired. He counsels parents of similar children. He moved to Kerala from Mysore in 1976. He was at the All India Institute of the Hearing Impaired aiding them in their treatment. Both his sons look after the estates; they are perfect examples of assimilation. Ebbey and Bobby even have driving licenses.
How it works
The rain gauge is a cylindrical metal pipe with a funnel inside with a container placed under it to collect rainwater which is then measured.
The gauge is not high-tech. The rainwater once collected in the gauge is then measured using a cylindrical measuring glass used specifically to record rain.
The previous day’s rain is measured every morning at 7 a.m.
Of the rain gauges he uses, one is ‘made in Coorg’. He has installed two in his garden, but he finds the ‘Coorg’ one more reliable.
He bought one from Kochi but he is not sure about its accuracy because there is a variation in the sizes, which, he believes, might hamper accuracy.
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> Features> MetroPlus / by Shilpa Nair Anand / Kochi – July 14th, 2013
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