‘They are stuck in their home State owing to NRC procedures’
The ongoing verifications for National Register for Citizens (NRC) in Assam have stopped thousands of workers from returning to the coffee estates of Karnataka. The Assamese workers left the estates in March-April, ahead of the parliamentary elections, and a majority of them are yet to return.
In Hassan district alone, more than 10,000 people from Assam are employed in many estates. Similarly, they work in estates of Chikkamagaluru and Kodagu districts. For the last 15 years, the estates in the three districts have been dependant on workers from northeastern States, Odisha and Madhya Pradesh.
Estates suffer
The final draft of the NRC was published in July 31, 2018. Many workers, whose names did not figure in the draft, were worried. They left to resubmit documents to claim citizenship. B.N. Jagaish Shetty, manager of IBC company-owned Hasirugudda Estate in Belur taluk, said last year more than 100 workers from Assam were in the estate. Now, there was none. “A few of them had returned very late and by then, we had made alternative arrangements. They must have gone to other estates,” he said.
The final NRC is expected to be published on August 31 and people are worried about leaving their native until then. U.M. Thirthamallesh, president of the Karnataka Growers’ Federation, said 25 Assamese were working in his estate and they had not yet returned. “The last communication I received was that they would come back after Bakrid (August 12). I hope they return as our estates are dependant on them,” he said.
This year owing to decrease in rainfall, the demand for labour is minimum. Anticipating dip in production, estate-owners are trying to manage with the available workforce. “But if the workers delay further, the activities in the estates will suffer,” he added.
“Coffee production has always been dependant on outsiders. In the past, there were workers from Dakshina Kannada. Later, it was Tamil Nadu. Many of them settled here over the years,” said B.A. Jagannath, planter and former member of the Coffee Board. People from Assam are stuck in their home State because of the NRC procedures and the floods. They will not return until their citizenship issue is settled, he said.
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> States> Karnataka / by Sathish G. T / Hassan – August 05th, 2019
The foreign pest, which is thought to have arrived in India through trade routes, devours tender leaves and stems, completely destroying plants.
A giant African land snail, Achatina fulica, in a coffee estate in Kodagu district, Karnataka. | Abhishek Chinnappa/Mongabay
The monsoon rains have arrived late this year in the verdant hills of Kodagu – commonly known as Coorg – in Karnataka, the coffee capital of India. For some planters, it’s a mixed blessing. A delayed monsoon is bad news in the Western Ghats mountain range, where farmers and planters have found themselves at the receiving end of extreme weather events triggered by climate change. Last year in August, unprecedented rains and floods harmed crops and coffee plantations, affecting many lives and livelihoods.
In recent years, the rains have brought another problem with them – an infestation of giant African land snails that have caused massive losses to some 40-45 plantations spread over 300 acres of land in Northern parts of Kodagu.
The foreign pest, which is thought to have arrived in India through trade routes, attacks young coffee plants and devours tender leaves and stems, completely destroying the plants. These giant snails, whose shells can grow up to 20 cm in length, are not picky eaters. They eat over 500 plant species and adapt easily to different ecosystems, researchers have found.
Giant African land snail, an invasive species, infest a coffee plant in Kodagu, Karnataka. Planters lose up to Rs 12,000 per acre in efforts to get rid of the pest. Credit: Pradeep Kumar/Mongabay
A fast breeder, this snail has emerged as a major problem for planters in the Shanivarasanthe area of Somwarpet taluk in Kodagu. “They multiply in large numbers within a short span of time,” said Pradeep B Shekar, who owns 40 acres of a coffee plantation.
The giant African land snail, locally known as shanku hoola or conch worm due to the shape of its shell, appeared in Kodagu for the first time in 2012-’13 in 50-60 acres of coffee plantations in Shanivarsanthe. The local plantation owners fought the infestation and thought they have ridden themselves of the pest.
But in 2017, the snails reappeared, wreaking havoc in an expanded area of 300 acres belonging to some 40-45 plantations. The planters say the pest attack costs them an additional expense of between Rs 10,000 and Rs 12,000 per acre, mainly due to the efforts to contain them. This shrinks their profit margins from the produce.
source: http://www.youtube.com
Invasive species
The International Union for Conservation of Nature lists the giant African land snail Achatina fulica as one of the worst invasive species in the world. An invasive alien species is “a problematic species introduced outside its natural, past or present distribution,” the International Union for Conservation of Nature says. “They may lead to changes in the structure and composition of ecosystems, detrimentally affecting ecosystem services, human economy and well being.”
African snails spread to new locations via trade routes, piggybacking on agricultural products, equipment, cargo and plant or soil matter. While there is no consensus on how they found their way into the pristine landscape of Kodagu, it is certain that these pesky visitors have come with no exit plan.
Giant African land snails in their early development stages inside a coffee estate in Handli village, Kodagu district. These fast-breeding snails have a lifespan of almost 15 years and can produce approximately 1,000 eggs in that period. Credit: Abhishek Chinnappa/Mongbay
Achatina fulica is one of the four species of giant snails belonging to the Achatinidae gastropod family native to Africa. It is classified as an obligate-outcrossing hermaphrodite, which means that just one externally fertilised snail can establish a population. These snails reproduce in large numbers.
The snails begin laying eggs at six months of age and can lay around 100 eggs in their first year, and up to 500 in the second year. Their life expectancy is around five years, and one snail can produce up to 1,000 eggs by then. The shell length of these snails ranges from 5 cm to 10 cm, though some adults may exceed 20 cm, and their average weight is about 32 gm.
Effective solution
Despite the destructive potential of the giant shells, the planters in Kodagu have been successful in tackling the infestation. They have reduced the infestation by about 90%, a remarkable achievement given that people in the neighbouring state of Kerala have been fighting this pest unsuccessfully for close to three decades.
The Coffee Board of India has emerged as the unlikely hero in this battle with the African snail. Researchers at the Central Coffee Research Institute in Balehonnur in Chikmagalur district of Karnataka and research sub-station in Chettalli in Kodagu devised a bait for the snail, in a method they dubbed “catch and kill”.
“The bait is made of rice bran, jaggery, castor oil and a chemical, thiodicarb,” explained Vishwanath Hadagalli, junior liaison officer of Coffee Board at Shanivarsanthe. “These are mixed together and balls of it are placed between four coffee plants.”
Researchers at the Central Coffee Research Institute in Chikmagalur district of Karnataka devised a successful catch-and-kill method to control the snail’s invasion. A bait made of rice bran, jaggery, castor oil and a chemical, thiodicarb, is used to lure and kill the pests. Credit: Abhishek Chinnappa/Mongabay
The researchers experimented with methomyl, a broad-spectrum insecticide, but it has been banned because the cost to the soil is too high. Thiodicarb is considered a less harmful insecticide that is effective against in killing the giant snails. “We tried every method available in the literature to get rid of these pests and this bait was found to be the most effective,” said Manjunath Reddy, assistant entomologist, coffee research sub-station at Chettalli, Kodagu.
In 2015, the Coffee Board used this bait and killed as much as 30 tonnes of snails. Encouraged by this, the Board, with active participation from Karnataka’s Horticulture Department and the Planters Association of Shanivarsanthe, upped their act through regular awareness meetings and distribution of bait kits to all the affected planters. The kit consists of a pair of gloves, 25 kg of rice bran, 100 gm of Larvin branded thiodicarb, 3 kg of jaggery and 100 ml castor oil. It costs Rs 1,000 but is distributed among the farmers at a subsidised rate of Rs 100.
Co-ordinated operation
“This has to be a collective effort,” said Pradeep Kumar, an affected farmer from Handli village in Shanivarsanthe. “If one affected farmer doesn’t participate, the infestation cannot be contained.” Hadagalli said there’s 90% success in eliminating these pests from Kodagu farms. “While we did not maintain records properly for the years 2014, 2015 and 2016, dead snails weighing 24 tonnes were collected in 2017, which came down to eight tonnes in 2018,” he said. “We expect much lower infestation this year.”
The Coffee Board also came up with the innovative idea of buying back the dead snails. It initially offered Rs 4 per kg of dead snails, which has since been increased to Rs 8 per kg. “The dead snails are disposed of in a pit that’s one-and-a-half feet deep,” said Hadagalli. “Salt is put over the dead ones to ensure even the last of the caught snails are dead and then buried.”
This burial is a precautionary measure against the spread of any disease through the snails. The giant snails are known to serve as intermediate hosts of several parasites that cause diseases in pets, free-ranging vertebrates and humans. They are hosts of rat lungworm Angiostrongylus cantonensis, which causes Eosinophilic meningitis in human beings.
Workers prepare a concoction to bait the giant African land snails inside a coffee estate. Co-ordinated efforts of farmers and officials have recently helped curb the infestation. Credit: Abhishek Chinnappa/Mongabay
Kerala experience
“In the past 5-6 years, seven children and at least one adult have been reported to have contracted meningitis through contact with giant African land snails,” said TV Sajeev, a scientist at Kerala Forest Research Institute, which who has been involved in the eradication of these snails in Kerala.
Although the fight against the snails has been largely successful in Kodagu, the experience is Kerala, where these creatures are seen as a nuisance, has been different. There have been as many as 223 outbreak points from 12 districts out of 14 in the southern state.
There is a cogent reason for this, said Sajeev. “The chemical used in the bait is not suitable for areas where there is human activity. These chemicals are found to be harmful, especially to aquatic organisms,” he said. “The case of Kerala, where the infestation is in towns and villages, is very different from that of an estate.”
Sajeev said one of the main problems that an invasive species brings with it is the invitation to use strong chemicals to eliminate them. Research has shown that exposure to chemicals like thiodicarb can be detrimental to human and animal health. The Kerala Forest Research Institute has been spraying an organic decoction of tobacco mixed with copper sulphate on snails that are lured with crushed papaya and cabbage leaves as bait.
Another big challenge in Kerala, said Sajeev, is the difficulty in organising people in these areas to work in tandem. “In Kerala, more than the destruction of agricultural crops, snails are a nuisance because they are seen in and around houses,” he said, adding that it is nearly impossible to get all the people in these houses to work together against the snails.
An escargatoire of giant African land snails on a ficus tree inside a coffee estate in Kodagu. While the infestation seems to be under control in the estates of Kodagu, Kerala is yet to find a solution. Credit: Abhishek Chinnappa/Mongabay
This article first appeared on Mongabay.
source: http://www.scroll.in / Scroll.in / Home> Pest Control / by Arathi Menon / August 05th, 2019
Provides sensor-based online real-time data on storage level to officials in New Delhi
Madikeri/Mysuru:
Telemetric Water Gauge has been installed at Krishna Raja Sagar (KRS) Dam in Mandya district and also at Harangi Dam in Kodagu for sensor-based real-time data on the storage level, inflow and outflow of the reservoirs.
The installation comes weeks after an Internal Committee of Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA) visited the two Dams in the first week of June this year. The team, after studying the water levels and reporting mechanisms, had decided to set up Online Monitoring System for all the reservoirs in Cauvery Basin through Telemetry-based Real-time Data Acquisition and Transmission.
The facility transmits data to CWMA Office in New Delhi and the authorities who decide on the water release as mandated by Supreme Court need not wait for the data from the Dams. They can easily access the data through the Telemetry Transmission system.
No room for errors: All these years, the authority sitting in New Delhi had to obtain data from each reservoir every day to determine the storage levels, inflow and outflow. This system was prone to errors as the people manning the Dams take physical measurements. Now with the new system, errors are eliminated and accurate real-time data can be accessed, making the decision-making process easy and accurate.
The Union Government has constituted the CWMA and and Cauvery Water Regulation Committee (CWRC) as directed by the Supreme Court and an Internal Committee comprising Irrigation experts from the Cauvery Basin States of Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Puducherry has been formed.
Real-time data acquisition
During their visit, the CWMA team discussed real-time data acquisition and transmission, installation of water-level sensors, flow rate sensors at all canals / outlets taking off from all the eight Reservoirs coming under Cauvery Basin and technical issues such as capacity enhancement of Dams, safety of Dams, prevention of leakages, modernisation of canals for prevention of seepage, etc.
The new advanced telemetry system has been installed based on the directions from CWRC. Sources said that such a system has been installed at Reservoirs including Hemavathy, Harangi, Kabini and KRS in Karnataka and in Banasura Dam at Kerala and Lower Bhavani, Amaravathi and Mettur dams in Tamil Nadu.
On mobiles
Speaking to Star of Mysore this morning, Vasudev, Assistant Executive Engineer of Cauvery Neeravari Nigam Limited (CNNL) that manages KRS and Harangi, said that the Telemetric Water Gauge gives live data to CWMA and CWRC authorities and they can access the data at any given point of time on their mobile phones.
The system transmits live data from the Dams and an exclusive cell has been set up at CWMA Office in New Delhi to receive the data and send them real-time through mobile phones. “With this system, now no one can bluff the CWMA by constantly claiming more water, hiding the real storage level data at the Dams. Even the CNNL authorities can access the data,” he said.
The data will measure minute details about number of canals and their location, water levels inside the canals, their turbulence, number of sluice gates, size of gates and the amount of water discharged from the crest gates. It also records spill- over water.
source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> News / July 26th, 2019
These firms are tapping governments, insurers, banks, farming co-operatives, development agencies and corporate social responsibility programs to create a business and help farmers.
Startups and technology firms are trying to break into India’s agricultural landscape using newer business models. These firms are tapping governments, insurers, banks, farming co-operatives, development agencies and even corporate social responsibility programs to create a viable business and help farmers. Most farmers have small holdings. Some even rent the land they farm on from others. Farmer distress is widespread.
Farming contributes around 15% to India’s gross domestic product. In short, India has few large farms that can pay for technology solutions. When CropIn Technologies first started out in 2010, the company tried selling its agri-tech solutions directly to farmers.
After investing lakhs of rupees, however, it managed to earn just Rs 6,000. Now, it tailors its solutions to specific needs. “Each customer segment that we deal with, we have a different value proposition for them,” said Jyoti , head of business development at CropIn Technologies. Large companies that depend on agricultural produce want information on sowing and pre-harvest activities up to harvest.
Development agencies are keen to develop sustainable farmer livelihoods, Vaddi said. CropIn is working with the World Bank in Bihar and Madhya Pradesh on a climate resilience project. It is also identifying a model where farming communities can adopt technology to create sustainable benefits — such as weather alerts on phone, best practices on farming, and advice on taking care of pest attacks. Agri-tech companies such as CropIn are also finding a market in banks and non-banking financial companies that give agricultural loans. The lenders are seeking CropIn’s expertise to help manage risk.
“If they have invested money in certain loans with farmers, the bankers want to know if it performing, how the crop is doing. Sometimes, a farmer takes a loan to sow one crop and then sows half his field with something else. There could be a genuine reason, but this is information a banker would want to know,” Vaddi said. CropIn is working with public and private sector banks as well as NBFCs. For banks and insurers, the company provides a platform that has data on the historical crop yields yields of a district. This helps in forecasting yields using machine learning.
The company also uses remote sensing satellites to determine what crops are sown in a region, using crop signatures it has collected over the past five years. Large technology companies, such as IBM and Microsoft, too are involved in the agri-tech space. The Weather Company, an IBM unit, provides hyperlocal weather information to farmers, along with data on soil moisture and temperature, which aids farmers in making informed decisions on how and when to irrigate. The company has tied up with agro-tech startup AgroStar to create crop disease prediction algorithms. “We are not expecting marginal farmers to pay for this.
We work with governments, banks, insurers, corporates who have business interests in agriculture and corporates that want to do meaningful CSR work,” said Himanshu Goyal, India Business Leader at The Weather Company. “It is not very expensive. It is cheaper than what a normal software costs and it is affordable,” he said. The company looks at delicately balancing value and cost, which even a company can appreciate, and one where people can build in affordability in business models, he said.
Microsoft is working with agrochemicals company United Phosphorus and the International Crop Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) to provide agri-tech solutions to farmers. State governments and government-promoted organizations are also potential markets for agri-tech companies. The agriculture ministry signed a statement of intent earlier this month with IBM for a pilot study on using artificial intelligence and weather technology solutions in agriculture.
Tie-ups with governments also use sensors in agricultural fields to measure soil health and ground-level conditions. Pilots that require placing sensors on farms are also underway. Eka Software, which has built a digital commodity management platform that is used by the likes of Cargill and Rio Tinto, has built a blockchain platform for coffee farmers in a tie-up with the Coffee Board of India. The platform aims to help farmers get a good price for their product, while offering coffee roasters and exporters data on crop quality. “There is a lot of scope to use technology to digitise agriculture in India and curb waste,” Manav Garg, CEO of Eka Software, told ET in an interview earlier.
“We have built this platform for coffee, but we can also create similar platforms for other agricultural commodities.” State governments are also looking to invest in blockchain technology to help cashew and shrimp exports. “India is one of the largest exporters of shrimp to the European Union, and the EU has put in requirements to disclose the health of the shrimp. In Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu, the governments are putting in place blockchain (technology) in which the manufacturers of the shrimp feed the content and that is made available to buyers. Kerala is doing the same thing for cashew nut,” said NG Subramaniam, chief operating officer of India’s largest IT services company Tata Consultancy Services. The blockchain technology is being launched by the state fisheries department, the Marine Product Export Development Authority and Tata Trusts, the Tata Group’s philanthropy arm. Business models are still evolving at at the farm level, experts say, whereas at the retail level — organic food or providing farm produce directly to homes — it is more established.
The government’s increased focus on improving farm incomes is also resulting in more pilot projects in the agri-tech space. “Future scale-up models will need farmers to have a stake, both to have ownership over and to demand accountability from the services. This is an emerging context,” said Amit Vatsyayan, Partner – Government and Public Sector Advisory Services, EY India. “A platform approach is very much needed for greater acceleration and adoption.”
Agritech Startups in India
CropIn
Offers farm management solutions for agricultural sectors. Works with farming companies, agri-input companies, crop insurance providers, seed production companies and government.
Total Funding: $16 million
Investors: Chiratae Ventures, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Ankur Capital and 8 Other Investors
AgroStar
It provides agri-inputs including fertilizers, seeds, manures, farm equipment, etc. to farmers.
Total Funding: $15 million
Investors: Accel Partners, Aavishkaar, Chiratae Ventures and 3 Other Investors
FarmBee
Has an online platform providing data-driven agricultural solutions. It offers agricultural content, commodity prices, weather data, and contextual advice to the farmers. Enterprise customers include TAFE, RBL Bank, Pepsico etc.
Total Funding: $9 million
Investors: Sandeep Bhammer, Ravikant Banka, Shailaja Reddy and 23 Other Investors
NinjaCart
Has a B2B marketplace connecting farmers with retailers. Initially started out with a hyperlocal grocery marketplace but pivoted to B2B marketplace for sourcing fresh fruits and vegetables, staples and FMCG goods directly from farmers and brands after 6 months of launch. Currently works with about 120 retailers.
Total Funding: $48million
Investors: Accel Partners, Syngenta Ventures, Neoplux and 13 Other Investors
Stellapps Technologies
Uses IOT, mobility and data analytics to improve agri- supply chain parameters including milk production, milk procurement, cold chain, animal insurance and farmer payments. Offers a platform SmartMoo, which gathers data via sensors that are embedded in milking systems, animal wearable, milk chilling equipment & milk procurement peripherals and provides insights for management of cattle, organization of dairy farms and for logistics management.
Total Funding: $11 million
Investors: Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, IndusAge Partners, Qualcomm Ventures and 8 Other Investors
source: http://www.economictimes.indiatimes.com / ET Rise / Home> Business News> RISE> Startups> News Buzz / by Jochelle Mendonca, ET Bureau / July 26th, 2019
The Union Government is expected to soon set up a task force that will engage with various stakeholders in the coffee sector, examine the issues faced by it and make suitable recommendations to the Union Commerce Minister.
According to Jeffry Rebello, chairman of the coffee committee of the United Planters’ Association of Southern India, the industry representatives held detailed discussions with Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal recently on the issues faced by the sector.
This included the need for better research, permitting growers to add value, bringing down the percentage of chicory permitted to be mixed with coffee and schemes of the Coffee Board.
“We had presented a memorandum too. The Minister had announced that a two-member team will be formed and it will meet the stakeholders. The team is expected to submit its report to the Minister by August 31,” he said.
Welcoming the announcement on the task force, Mr. Rebello said it is likely to be set up soon after the Budget session of the Parliament, he said.
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> Business / by Special Correspondent / Coimbatore – July 27th, 2019
Karnataka State Tourism Development Corporation Managing Director Pushkar Kumar inaugurates, ‘Connect’, a preparatory meeting on tourism, in Madikeri on Friday.
Priority will be given for the promotion of tourism in Kodagu district, said Karnataka State Tourism Development Corporation Managing Director Pushkar Kumar.
Speaking at ‘Connect’, a preparatory meeting, organised for tourism department at Coorg International Hotel on Friday, he said the tourism department is organising Karnataka International Travel Expo in Bengaluru from August 25 to 27.
India ranks 11th in the tourism sector at the global level. Kerala is moving ahead in the promotion of tourism. All efforts are being made to promote tourism in Karnataka, he added.
He said several programmes are organised to promote tourism in various districts in the state.
Hotel, Resort Association President Nagendra said, “All should cooperate for the development of tourism in the state. There is a need for improving basic facilities at the tourist spots in Kodagu district.”
A tourist information centre should be set up in Madikeri to provide information to tourists on the tourist spots, he said.
Suitable facilities should be provided for trekking to Nishani, Pushpagiri and Tadiyandamol areas. Nalkunadu Palace should be developed. Free entry should be provided for tourists at Harangi, he added.
State Tourism Society Joint Secretary Ravindra and others were present at the meeting.
source: http://www.deccanherald.com / Deccan Herald / Home> State> Mangaluru / by Adithya K A / DH News Service, Madikeri / July 19th, 2019
Rafting, an activity that is a big favourite of tourists at Dubare, is back. As a result, the tourist camp is buzzing with activities again.
As river rafting had been banned in River Cauvery at Dubare a year ago, the number of tourists had dipped drastically.
The rafting association had urged the district administration and District In-charge Minister Sa Ra Mahesh to lift the ban on rafting and support the local entrepreneurs.
As the ban has been lifted, tourists are now making a beeline during weekends to take part in the adrenaline-pumping and adventurous activity.
This, in turn, has left the organisers of the rafting activities as well as the local vendors smiling.
River water level
Water rafting at Dubare is being conducted along a distance of eight kilometres. The water level in River Cauvery too has risen, following good rain in the district. More number of youth were seen enjoying rafting.
The sport was relaunched at Barapole as well. Barapole is located 35 kilometres away from Madikeri. A fee of Rs 600 is charged per head for those keen on rafting activity.
River rafting was introduced in Dubare in 2002. In case of good rain, rafting activities can been conducted till December.
Dhanush, a software engineer who took part in rafting at Dubare, said, “The plans to take part in the rafting activity could not be realised a year ago as it had been banned. Now, we got a new experience.”
Elephant camp
Businessmen said that as the rain was less this year, more number of tourists were landing in Kodagu. Many of the tourists have also been visit the elephant camp at Dubare.
Randeep from Bengaluru said that he would like to explore all tourist sites in Kodagu.
Tourists have been thronging Raja Seat, Abbey Falls, Mallalli and Irpu Falls. The homestay and resort business has also been revived, the businessmen added.
source: http://www.deccanherald.com / Deccan Herald / Home> State> Mangaluru / by Adithya K A / DH News Service, Kushalnagar / July 19th, 2019
It is monsoon season in Kodagu and though rains are less this year, people in remote villages of Kodagu, who have grown Garcinia gummi-gutta tree in their estates or have access to the tree grown in the wild, are busy in preparing Kachampuli, the dark, tart vinegar. Kachampuli preparation has been passed on from generations and is indispensable in Coorg cuisine. Every Coorg kitchen has a couple of bottles, or more, of Kachampuli tucked away at the corners or stored in the attic. This Weekend Star Supplement introduces readers to this enigmatic liquid and explains the process of obtaining it from yellow fruits hanging on top of tall trees.
Kachampuli: The Quintessential Coorg Condiment
A full-fledged processing unit at Ponnampet Forestry College
by B.C. Thimmaiah
Souring agents are an integral and inseparable part of our culinary traditions. Depending on the State and community, souring agents vary. Apart from lip-puckering tamarind and lime juice that is quite ubiquitous in most Indian dishes, there are a host of other souring agents that enhance the flavour of dishes like Kodava Pandi Curry (pork curry) where Kachampuli makes it the ‘Dish with a Zing’.
The concentrated juice is obtained from Garcinia gummi-gutta, the same fruit that is used in dried form in parts of Kerala, where it is known as punampuli or kodampuli/kudampuli. It is a relative of kokum, which is used in Mangalorean, Konkan and Maharashtrian cuisines. In Kodava language, the fruit is known as ‘Panpuli’ and its boiled extract is ‘Kachampuli’.
The fruit is like a large Amla but with prominent sections. In its fresh form, it is known to possess medicinal properties and is the basis for many weight-loss products. The English name is Brindle Berry. Before it is stored, the Panpuli is taken apart in slivers, dried and then smoked. It’s here that the green fruit turns into matt black. Later, dry pieces are soaked in warm water and torn apart before being added to the curry.
Students of Forestry College, Ponnampet, extract the seeds from the fruit. Once the succulent aril is separated from the seeds, the extracted juice is boiled and stirred constantly to procure the thick Kachampuli.
Juice preparation process
In Kodagu, the fruit is left out in baskets until the pulp breaks down. A large vat is kept below to collect the juice and the pulp is removed. The juice at first is pale and golden. It is then boiled in large clay pots until it turns dark burgundy in colour. This slow heating turns it into a syrupy vinegar. The final result is a dark and thick liquid and this liquid extract is known as Kachampuli.
Interestingly, Kachampuli improves with age. The older brews are preferred over the newer ones for cooking. The new bottles are usually stored in attics in Kodagu and are left there to mature and attain that perfect texture, taste and colour. Kachampuli is usually used in the final stages of cooking, mainly in meat and fish dishes, most famously in Pandi Curry and fish curry.
An expensive commodity
While Kachampuli was abundantly available in the open market earlier, now it is a scarce and an expensive commodity even in Kodagu, its hometown, thanks to the present generation that is unwilling to take the trouble of preparing it as it is a long-drawn and pain-staking process. Adulteration of Kachampuli to make a quick buck too has become rampant.
A fully grown Panpuli or Garcinia gummigutta tree in Kodagu with its yellow fruits
Realising Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ‘Make in India’ initiative
Considering the rarity of the fruit and its many uses, College of Forestry at Ponnampet in South Kodagu has started a full-fledged unit that procures the Garcinia gummi-gutta fruit from farmers, processes it, prepares Kachampuli and then markets it. This initiative has not only ensured that the tradition continues but also eased the scarcity of the unique product in the market.
The initiative at the College was started by former Dean of the College Dr. B.C. Uthaiah and continued on a major scale by the present Dean Dr. C. G. Kushalappa, who has conducted extensive research in Devarakadus, the Sacred Forests of Kodagu and the wild and edible fruits of Kodagu, and Dr. B.N. Satish, Assistant Professor, Department of Forest Products and Utilisation.
Hands-on Training
The College is following the traditional methods of using forest produce available in Kodagu. “Our College offers Hands-on Training (HoT) programme to add value to non-timber forest produce where wild and edible fruits of Kodagu like Garcinia gummi-gutta, gooseberry, kokum and Karada (karmunji in Kodava language) fruit are made into products including pickles, jams and jellies, candies, squash, toffees and, of course, Kachampuli. This apart, we do produce hair care products from soap nuts and agarbathi. These exotic products are marketed under Sayhadri Brand,” says Dr. Kushalappa.
“This initiative is completely agriculture-and-farmer-oriented and we want to tell our farmers that their products have value and market. We provide plantation material or saplings, standardise production, maintain quality and focus on effective waste disposal. We have procured Government of India-manufactured machines from Coimbatore and we have a larger plan to set up Small Scale Industry production units at Ponnampet,” he explains.
Efforts to retain youths from migration
Basically it is to retain the youths in Kodagu who are migrating to cities in search of job opportunities. “We want to tell them that they can lead a comfortable life by adopting innovative farming and cultivate such unique fruits in a large scale as Kodagu is a natural zone under Western Ghats for such fruits. Our intention is to make them self-reliant. It is our way of nation-building aligning with the theme of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Make in India initiative,” he rues.
“It is an entire world out there when it comes to wild berries and there is a huge market. For example, Garcinia gummi-gutta extract by multi-national companies is sold in the US and Europe as bio-slim products. We are trying to tie up with institutes like Central Food Technological Research Institute (CFTRI) for product development,” Dr. Kushalappa explains.
Grafted trees for high yield
Apart from producing the actual and authentic Kachampuli, the College supplies Garcinia gummi-gutta saplings for large-scale cultivation. “It is a huge tree and no coffee plant can grow under it. Our grafted tree does not grow that tall and growers can take up integrated coffee and Garcinia gummi-gutta cultivation. Our saplings are short and gives a high yield,” he reveals.
On the Kachampuli product marketed by the Forestry College, Dr. Satish says that the product is made in a traditional way with the use of modern techniques. “It is free from any sort of adulteration and we have not used any preservatives. There is a great demand for the product from both residents of Kodagu and the natives who live outside the district,” he says.
One tree, many fruits, multiple uses
The Garcinia gummi-gutta is a small or medium-sized tree and the bark of the tree is grey, smooth and contains abundance of bright-yellow gamboges (a gum resin produced by various trees, used as a yellow pigment and in medicine as a purgative). The tree starts bearing fruits when it is eight-years-old and it continues to bear fruits till it reaches 40 to 45 years. The fruits are two to three inches in diameter and are yellow when ripe with six to eight grooves. One tree can yield 100 to 125 kgs of fruit.
Around 25 kgs of Garcinia gummi-gutta fruit is required to prepare one litre of Kachampuli with an investment of Rs. 300 to Rs. 350 per litre. Once the product is ready, it can be sold up to Rs. 1,500 per litre.
There will be six to eight seeds surrounded by a succulent aril (an extra seed covering, typically coloured and hairy or fleshy). Usually, the Garcinia gummi-gutta flowering takes place from February to May every year and from June to August it is fruiting season and that’s the time when people of Kodagu get on to prepare the famed Kachampuli.
Uses of Garcinia gummi-gutta fruits
The Garcinia gummi-gutta fruits are edible, but too acid to be eaten raw. They are valued for their dried rind which is used in Travancore-Cochin and Malabar as a condiment for flavouring curries in place of tamarind or lime. In Sri Lanka, the fruits are picked under-ripe, the thick pericarp cut into sections, dried in sunlight and preserved for future use. The dried material is used along with salt in the curing fish. The edible oil extracted from the seed resembling kokum butter is used extensively in preparation of the local dishes.
Apart from using the fruit and its extracts for food purposes, the raw and processed rind of the fruit is extensively used as a condiment, coagulant and for polishing gold and silver articles. The Garcinia gummi-gutta seed is an edible source of fat and interestingly the tree does not have any pest or disease and is a characteristic trait of the tree family. The fruit is also used in Indian traditional medicine for edema, delayed menstruation, constipation and other intestinal disorders.
source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> Feature Articles / July 14th, 2019
People of Kodagu can avail Manipal Arogya Card to get concession in treatment at KMC hospitals, said KMC Hospital marketing department deputy manager Rakesh.
Addressing reporters, he said that the card can be used at KMC hospitals at Dr B R Ambedkar Circle and Attavara in Mangaluru, Kasturba Hospital in Manipal, Dr T M A Pai Hospital in Udupi and Dr T M A Pai Rotary Hospital in Karkala. Manipal Hospital in Goa and Manipal College of Dental Sciences in Mangaluru are also covered under the scheme to avail treatments at concessional rates.
Cards of one year and two years duration are available. The membership fee for Manipal Arogya Card for individuals is Rs 250 for one year and Rs 400 for two years. The fee for the family card for one year is Rs 500 and for two years is Rs 700.
To get the facility, one can contact KMC hospital representatives in Madikeri. Phone: 97314 74598, 98802 62038 or 94807 88634.
KMC hospital representatives A A Pratish, Padmanabha and Ponnappa were present in the press meet.
source: http://www.deccanherald.com / Deccan Herald / Home> State> Mangaluru / by Adithya K A / DH News Service, Madikeri / July 10th, 2019
According to industry reports, coffee shops and cafés market in India is projected to grow at a CAGR of over 11 per cent during the period 2016-2021.
A cup of coffee is all it takes to get one’s day started
While the essence of coffee is lost amongst major players in the industry, a group of coffee lovers are taking their adulation for the beverage to a larger audience, nudging them to wake up and smell what real coffee is.
In this quest, they are also bringing forth the significant role India plays as a major player in the production of good coffee.
According to industry reports, coffee shops and cafés market in India is projected to grow at a CAGR of over 11 per cent during the period 2016-2021.
This high growth is primarily on account of the growing coffee culture among the young population, especially the millennials, rising disposable income among other factors.
“This coupled with the implementation of various government plans to develop smart cities, etc., is projected to drive growth in Indian market for coffee shops / cafés over next many years,” shares Aharnish Mishra, co-founder of Bizibean, which got involved in the B-to-B R&G (Roast and Ground) coffee segment from 2004. They were naturally inclined to foray into the retail segment.
“This was a natural extension to our roasting business. We thought the market is ready for a brand that epitomises gourmet coffee and offers its patron speciality coffee both in bean form as well as RTD form,” he says.
While there has been a growth in the coffee market, it is still in its infancy as compared to the global market.
“People are only just beginning to learn the basics and are willing to experiment with different coffees and brewing equipments,” says Krittivas Dalmia, Co-Founder, Kaffa Cerrado, adding, “There is a very small percentage of the market willing to experiment. So there’s a long way to go before we can become a mature coffee market.”
Desi cuppa
The Indian fresh R&G coffee market for domestic consumption is a very small one and is geographically concentrated in the southern part of the country.
Mishra believes that there is no mainstream coffee variety and due to the cost factor, cheaper Robusta blended with a little Arabicas and Chicory is the de facto coffee blend consumed at home.
“The Indian coffees that are internationally popular but find little takers in the domestic market are Monsoon Malabar AA, Mysore Nugget Extra Bold, Plantation AA and Robust Kapi Royale,” he adds.
However, according to Dalmia, there are a lot of plantations that have started selling under their own branding or as a single plantation. “These are all unique because of the different practices and procedures they follow in processing and harvesting the coffee. The beauty of the third wave is that it’s all unique,” says Dalmia.
Brewing hot in India
“Traditionally this role of educating and growing the market is taken up by the bigger players like CCD/ Starbucks in conjunction with the government bodies like Coffee Board of India,” says Mishra, adding, “Sadly, in India this hasn’t happened with the result that the smaller and newer player have to expend energy and resources to nurture the market.
“At BiziBean, we assume the role of missionaries and spread the story of the coffee bean by bean! We have taken the kiosk format route with value pricing strategy to make the experience of having or buying coffee a very pleasurable one.
“All our counter staff is well versed with the intricacies of coffee and performs the role of guides to our patrons.”
On the other hand, Dalmia works with the farmers in bringing out their story and flavour in the way they roast. “The more we’re able to educate our consumers on that, the more they’re willing to try.
So it’s a lot of work in educating the consumer by everyone in the coffee chain right from the farmer to the roaster to the barista and coffee shop,” he states.
The competition is usually in terms of cafes or instant coffee space. There isn’t much completion when we talk about home coffee, feels Ajai Thandi, Co-founder of Sleepy Owl.
“Rooted in the spirit of Make in India, their vision was to rethink the in-home coffee experience while wanting their patrons to have the best quality coffee as conveniently as possible and consume it its best; using the best quality coffee sourced directly from Indian farmers.
source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> Lifestyle> Food / by Express News Service / July 08th, 2019
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