Date:30/10/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/10/30/stories/2008103052690300.htm

Karnataka

‘Study loss suffered by coffee growers’

Correspondent

CHIKMAGALUR: The Karnataka Growers’ Federation (KGF) is unhappy that the Coffee Board has not taken any action with regard to loss of coffee crop due to heavy rain this month, in spite of making several appeals.

H.T. Mohan Kumar, general secretary of the KGF, has said in a press release that there was a shortfall of about 25 per cent of the crop estimate made by the Coffee Board and unseasonable rain this month resulted in a further loss of 10 per cent to 15 per cent.

He said that rain in February had caused coffee fruits to ripen a month early. Excess water also caused the skin of the coffee fruit to open and drop to the ground. Growers had not completed cultural operations such as weeding and spraying, and severe shortage of labour had further hampered the harvesting process, Mr. Mohan Kumar said.

He regretted that growers would suffer huge losses and find it difficult to repay crop loans.

Requesting the Coffee Board to conduct a survey of the situation and submit a report to the Ministry of Commerce, he pointed out that the Board had been estimating the crop based on an outdated areas of production.

He urged the Board to take into consideration the 50,000 hectares of land brought under coffee cultivation during the past 15 years.

Mr. Mohan Kumar suggested that the Board provide growers with coffee drying machines at subsidised prices to help them overcome their predicament.