High temperature in the coastal belt is a challenge for cultivating coffee, says M.J. Dinesh, chairman, Indian Coffee Board.

Capt. Brijesh Chowta, MP for Dakshina Kannada, speaking at the inauguration of ‘KaapiCo’ initiative in Sullia on Monday. | Photo Credit: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT

Capt. Brijesh Chowta, MP for Dakshina Kannada, on Monday suggested that the Indian Coffee Board explore the possibility of developing a variety suitable for cultivation in the district or in the coastal belt.

Speaking at the inauguration of ‘KaapiCo’ initiative in Sullia to promote coffee cultivation with arecanut as a supplementary crop, Capt. Chowta said that the Central Coffee Research Institute (CCRI), Balehonnur, can develop a variety suitable for cultivation in the coastal belt.

The MP said that the coffee grown in the coastal belt can be marketed in a separate regional brand name.

Seeking institutional support from the Coffee Board for growing coffee in Dakshina Kannada, Capt. Chowta said recognition from the board to the coffee grown in the district will help farmers a lot in marketing.

“Farmers of the district are not looking for any financial support from the board. The local cooperative societies will help the farmers financially,” Capt. Chowta said.

The MP appealed to the Board to extend institutional support by providing training to farmers in the scientific cultivation and by arranging coffee plants. “The board should recognise Belthangady, Kadaba, Sullia and Puttur taluks as ideal for cultivating coffee,” he said.

Asking farmers not to go for coffee cultivation in a hurry, Capt. Chowta said that farmers should get themselves convinced of the scientific method of cultivation.

The chairman of the board, M.J. Dinesh, said that the board will promote a cropping model of combined cultivation of coffee with other crops. “Model blocks of combined cultivation of coffee with some other crops will be ready at the CCRI in about two months,” Mr. Dinesh said.

Mr. Dinesh suggested that coffee can be grown with fruit crops or with a combination of coffee, black pepper and arecanut. “A farmer in Wayanad has cultivated mangosteen with coffee. He has made a huge profit by harvesting mangosteen alone,” he said.

The chairman said that the CCRI is celebrating its centenary year, and a new coffee variety will be released during the three-day centenary year celebrations of the institute later this year.

He said that high temperature in the coastal belt is a challenge for cultivating coffee.

Mr. Dinesh said that the board has set a target to take the coffee production to seven lakh tonnes by 2047 and scale up India’s position in the coffee export from the fifth largest exporter to the third largest exporter by then. “Coffee is the second-highest traded commodity in the world,” he said.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Mangaluru / by The Hindu Bureau / August 25th, 2025

HIGHLIGHTS

Bengaluru:

Harapalli Ravindra’s childhood in a tiny village Shanthalli in Somwarpet taluk, Kodagu, was marked by a quiet regret the absence of an…

Bengaluru:

Harapalli Ravindra’s childhood in a tiny village Shanthalli in Somwarpet taluk, Kodagu, was marked by a quiet regret the absence of an English-medium school. While children in urban areas had access to modern education, Ravindra was deprived of the same privilege. Yet his determination never faltered. He taught himself English, completed his PUC and degree in the English medium through a private college, and went on to build a successful career as a professional and later as an entrepreneur in Bengaluru.

Amidst his success, one dream lingered: to ensure that no child from his native region would suffer the disadvantages he once faced. “If I struggled due to the lack of English education, I didn’t want future generations to face the same fate,” Ravindra says. This thought became his mission.

In 2016, with the active support of his villagers, Ravindra founded Harapalli’s first-ever English-medium school. What began modestly with just eight children in Class 1 has now grown into a vibrant institution with more than 200 students and 15 committed teachers. To overcome the absence of public transport, Ravindra has arranged five school vehicles to ferry children from remote hamlets.

Ravindra has personally invested lakhs of rupees into this initiative, though he avoids dwelling on the details. “I don’t want publicity; I only want results,” he insists. His generosity, however, goes beyond infrastructure. Every year, he spends ₹8–10 lakh to provide free uniforms, textbooks, and waive tuition fees for children from Below Poverty Line (BPL) families across Somwarpet taluk.

His efforts are not confined to Shantalli alone. In Bengaluru , Ravindra has established a hostel for underprivileged children from Kodagu, providing accommodation and guidance for over 100 students annually. In his role as Director of the Rajya Vokkaliga Sangha representing Kodagu, he has secured more than 100 hostel seats for rural students, enabling them to pursue higher studies in the city.

He has also recommended the construction of a free ladies’ hostel at Somwarpet through the Sangha, further expanding educational opportunities for young women. Additionally, Ravindra has facilitated engineering and professional course admissions for deserving students, helping them build solid career paths.

For Kodagu’s children, Harapalli Ravindra is more than a benefactor he is a visionary who transformed his childhood hardship into a movement of hope and empowerment, ensuring generations to come will have the education and opportunities he once longed for.

source: http://www.thehansindia.com / Hans India / Home> News> State> Karnataka / by Hans News Service / August 27th, 2025

MLA for Virajpet A.S. Ponnanna being welcomed during the ‘Kodavameera Aara Bera’, a Kodava cultural festival, at Kodava Samaj in Mysuru on Saturday. | Photo Credit: M.A. SRIRAM

The Karnataka Kodava Sahitya Academy, in association with Mysuru Kodava Samaja, organised the ‘Kodavameera Aara Bera’ programme on Saturday at Mysuru Kodava Samaja.

The event was presided over by Ajjinikanda C. Mahesh Nachayya, president of the Karnataka Kodava Sahitya Academy.

Chief Minister’s Legal Advisor and MLA for Virajpet A. S. Ponnanna inaugurated the cultural fest by lighting the lamp in the presence of several dignitaries.

In his address, Mr. Ponnanna said the festival was intended to portray the richness of the Kodava language, culture, and traditions, and stressed the need to conserve and promote it for future generations.

The programme featured cultural performances, traditional dances, and a play highlighting the vibrant heritage of the Kodavas. An exhibition and sale of books published by the Kodava Sahitya Academy was also organised on the occasion.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> India> Karnataka / by The Hindu Bureau / August 23rd, 2025

The Madikeri Forest Division RFO confirmed the growers have encroached on the sacred grove, a notified forest area, leading to the eviction of his crops.

Uprooted cardamom plants in Somwarpet.(Photo | Express)

Madikeri :

Over 800 coffee plants and several cardamom plants grown across government land were evicted by the forest department in the Somwarpet region. The incident has evoked anger among the grower community in Somwarpet, who threaten to intensify their struggle against the forest department.

“Over 35 years ago, my father, Kaalachanda Naniyappa had cleared the paisari land of about three acres at Mukkodlu limits and had cultivated the land with coffee and cardamom. Recently, as several coffee plants had worn out, he took up re-plantation work and had sown new coffee plants,” explained Kaushi, daughter of 70-year-old Naniyappa.

She added that the estate was readied on paisari land, and the survey number does not fall under the forest department. “Despite the land being paisari and not forest area, over 10 people who claimed to be from the forest department trespassed into our estate and destroyed all the crops,” she alleged.

According to her, over 800 coffee plants, alongside yielding cardamom crops, have been destroyed. “My father’s hard work of over three decades has been razed within an hour by the department officials. No notices were served and we did not apply for any lease as the land is ‘paisari’ and not forest land,” she explained.

The elderly grower, who lives with his ailing wife, is now in a dilemma as he has suffered huge financial losses in the process. From labour charges to cultivation costs, he has lost his livelihood, which has evoked the anger of other growers in the region.

However, the concerned RFO of Madikeri Forest Division confirmed that the elderly grower had encroached on the sacred grove, which is a notified forest area. “The grower has cut several trees in the sacred grove area and we have to file a case against him. We had warned him not to cut trees. Despite that, he has cleared the sacred grove. Since he is an elderly person, we carried out only the eviction process and have not booked him for the same,” the officer confirmed. He added that the cleared area falls under Bellacchu Sacred Grove forest area.

As per the survey details given by owner Naniyappa, however, the RTC shows that survey number 33/2 in Mukkodlu region is paisari government land that has been granted to him.

Meanwhile, members of the Raitha Horata Samithi of Somwarpet taluk gathered at the evicted area and declared they would intensify their fight against the forest department, claiming that the department is snatching away the livelihood of small growers.

source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> Karnataka / by Prajna G R / August 21st, 2025

Deputy Commissioner Venkat Raja during his visit to an exhibition organised as part of an awareness programme on the PMFME scheme in Madikeri on Thursday. | Photo Credit: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT

Kodagu Deputy Commissioner Venkat Raja has urged the people to make use of the support being extended by the Central and State governments for establishing small-scale food processing industries, after inaugurating an awareness programme on the Pradhan Mantri Formalisation of Micro Food Processing Enterprises (PMFME) scheme in Madikeri on Thursday.

Elaborating on the opportunities available under the Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan, the Deputy Commissioner said that a 50% subsidy would help individuals start ventures even at their homes, and stressed the importance of branding and market linkages to ensure a wider reach for food products. Special emphasis was laid on encouraging women entrepreneurs, which he said, would boost the district’s economic growth and generate employment opportunities.

The Deputy Commissioner appreciated the exhibition of food-processing products like bakery items, coffee, mushrooms, spices, millet-based products, and chapatis at the event.

Shivaprakash, Managing Director of the Karnataka State Agricultural Produce Processing and Export Corporation (KAPPEC), said Kodagu district has immense potential in food processing industries such as coffee, pepper, cardamom, cocoa, arecanut, honey, and paddy.

Mr. Shivaprakash urged entrepreneurs to file more applications under the scheme, pointing out that the district could even secure GI tags for its unique products. Up to ₹15 lakh subsidy (50% of the project cost) is available for setting up new units or expanding existing ones, he said, adding that flour mills, oil mills, bakeries, banana-based products, turmeric and coconut processing, snacks, pickles, chapati making, coffee powder, masalas, chocolates, honey, fruits, and vegetable processing are among the units that can be established.

B.S. Chandrashekar, Joint Director of Agriculture, said that 160 applications had been filed from the district, of which only seven were rejected. Loans worth ₹15.2 crore have been sanctioned against a target of ₹18.13 crore, benefitting 89 entrepreneurs since the launch of the scheme in 2020-21.

In the 2025-26 State budget, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah announced the establishment of 5,000 small food processing units with an allocation of ₹206 crore. Kodagu has been given a target of 75 units.

Lead Bank manager Gangadhara Nayak, CFTRI Senior Technical Officer Raghavendra, NABARD representatives, and other resource persons spoke on the opportunities in value addition and market expansion at the event. On the occasion, the PM-FME scheme brochure was released by the Deputy Commissioner, and cheques were handed over to beneficiaries.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> India> Karnataka / by The Hindu Bureau / April 22nd, 2025

The society is currently under severe financial stress.

MP for Mysuru Yaduveer Krishnadatta Chamaraja Wadiyar has taken the initiative to address the financial crisis faced by the Kodagu Coffee Growers’ Cooperative Society, which has been functioning for decades.

The society is currently under severe financial stress, and Mr. Yaduveer has therefore urged the Union Ministry of Commerce and the Ministry of Finance to intervene and provide relief.

During his visit to New Delhi, Mr. Yaduveer met Union Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal and submitted a memorandum seeking his support.

Founded in 1956, the society has supported over 10,000 to 12,000 small and medium coffee growers across Kodagu, Mysuru, and surrounding regions. It has been a backbone for nearly 40,000 families and has provided employment to thousands of estate workers. However, due to market fluctuations and lack of capital, the society incurred a loss of ₹6.85 crore during 1995–96, he said in a press release here.

As per the Coffee Board’s order dated September 12, 2011, the society was directed to pay ₹1,55,28,034 as interest. Later, on September 20, 2015, the board issued a letter stating that if the principal was cleared, the interest would be waived. Accordingly, on December 22, 2015, the society paid ₹1,55,28,090. But in 2017, the board imposed an additional ₹5,83,85,155 as interest and other charges, Mr. Yaduveer said.

The society has incurred a loss of ₹13.13 crore, and is in deep financial crisis. At present, it is unable to pay the heavy interest burden. If forced to pay, the society will go bankrupt, impacting nearly one lakh people who depend on it, he said.

He urged that the Union Commerce Minister to intervene to rescue the society from the crisis and also appealed to the Finance Ministry to coordinate and extend appropriate relief and assistance.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> India> Karnataka / by The Hindu Bureau / August 19th, 2025

Mysore/Mysuru:

Karnataka High Court Justice J.M. Khazi observed that social service, in the true sense, is an extension of justice.

She was speaking after inaugurating ‘Sarathya,’ the Third District Cabinet Presentation-2025 of Lions International District 317G at KSOU Convocation Hall on Hunsur Road here yesterday.

Noting that if we take a look at the world around us, the entire world seems to be full of Science and Technological advancements, Justice Khazi said that, however, one should also take note of the natural disasters, calamities, pandemics, poverty, starvation and the like, which have become a routine these days.

Pointing out that we should note that it is not the responsibility of the administration alone to handle such crises, she said that the entire society should play a key role in such situations for alleviating the problems of mankind. It is laudable that the Lions Club is working in this direction, she said.

“There are many instances where Lions Clubs volunteers  have reached areas even before Government bodies and agencies arrived, which is really laudable. The Lions Clubs are known to provide service in rural areas and in times of natural disasters and calamities. The Lions Clubs are moving forward by following the famed Greek Philosopher Aristotle’s principle that serving mankind and doing good for the society is the essence of life,” Justice Khazi said.

Mysuru Kodava Samaja President Ponjanda A. Ganapathy and Mysuru Kodava Samaja Chief Advisor Ln. Kuttimada D. Kariappa, along with the Kodava Samaja Mysuru cultural team which participated in the Lions International ‘Sarathya’ programme held at KSOU Convocation Hall on Hunsur Road on Sunday.

Stating that her father was a Public Prosecutor, Justice Khazi recalled that she had most part of her early education in Kannada as her father used to serve at Taluk-level, where there were no English medium schools then and she thinks that it was a good opportunity for her to learn Kannada. “Most of my ancestors studied in Kannada medium and as such Kannada is a second mother-tongue for our entire family,” she said adding that she had given her rulings  in Kannada in the HC in the dedicated year, for which she was honoured by the State Government. But now, all orders and rulings in the High Court  should be written in English, Justice Khazi added.

Lions District Governor (2025-26) Ln. K.L. Rajashekara, in his address, said that Lions International District 317G incorporates Mysuru, Mandya and Chamarajanagar Districts.

Ln. Pankaj Mehta, who is the International Director, First Lady of the District Ln. Dr. M.N. Geetha, Past International Directors Ln. V.V. Krishna Reddy and Ln. Vamsidhar Babu, Multiple Council Chairman Ln. N. Mohan Kumar, District Cabinet Advisor Ln. K. Devegowda, District Cabinet Secretary Ln. M. Siddegowda, District Ambassador Ln. T.H. Venkatesh, Host Committee Chairman Ln.  S.P. Adarsha, Secretary Ln.  M.V. Nandish, Additional District Cabinet Secretary Ln. Naveen Subramanyam and others were present at the ‘Sarathya’ event.

source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> News / August 18th, 2025