Jeypore (Odisha): 

Kalinga DESIAGRO Foundation (KDF) has inaugurated an integrated coffee processing and storage unit today. Located in Ekadeli village, about 12 kms away from the Koraput town, the 4,500 sq. ft. facility houses state-of-the-art machineries capable of undertaking curing of raw coffee, including hulling, peeling, polishing, and grading operations. A prominent feature of the entire set-up is the phosphor-bronze peeler polisher, that will impart a fine lustre to the coffee processed at the unit, at par with some of the best curing works in Karnataka.

Mckinnon India Pvt. Ltd., a renowned manufacturer and exporter of coffee processing systems, was engaged by KDF to commission the processing unit. KDF further relied on the technical guidance and wisdom of Mrs. Sunalini Menon, Coffee Lab, Bangalore, one of the leading coffee quality experts in India.

The unit will cater to the requirements of the coffee growers of Koraput, neighbouring districts including Kandhamal and Keonjhar, and all such districts in Odisha, where coffee is being commercially produced. The unit will enable the coffee growers to make value addition to their coffee that is being currently sold in raw form (called parchment or cherry) to traders in Karnataka. The integrated facility has been conceptualized to be future proof, with the provision for an initial storage capacity of 200 metric tons of raw coffee.

The processing unit is capable of processing approximately 600 metric tons of raw coffee annually, with provision for phase-wise expansion in the future. Due to the sensitive and hygroscopic nature of coffee beans, the facility has been constructed with necessary adherence to the guidelines and norms prescribed by the Coffee Board of India to ensure optimal temperature and moisture control.

The unit was recently audited by Dr. Mandappa I.S. the Divisional Head of Coffee Quality (Coffee Board of India) as part of the process for its registration as a Coffee Board licenced curing works.

The establishment of the integrated unit is part of KDF’s social impact outreach towards transforming the coffee ecosystem in southern Odisha.

The integrated unit represents a significant private investment in not just the fledgling coffee sector of Odisha but in the economically and industrially backward district of Koraput in general. The unit has been commissioned in a record time of just under 6 months, reaffirming the commitment of KDF towards the coffee growers of Koraput. The project aims to positively affect lives of over 1500 locals including by way of generating direct and indirectly employment.

As part of its effort to boost the hyperlocal economy, KDF has chosen to largely work with local vendors, suppliers and contractors in the Koraput district in setting up the unit. The establishment of the processing facility is likely to have a ripple effect on the coffee sector in the near future by encouraging more coffee growers and boosting the earning capabilities of the existing growers by enabling them to sell green coffee beans, the most popularly traded form of coffee internationally.

To mark this significant occasion, KDF organized an event to officially unveil the integrated processing and storage unit.

Shri Iswar Chandra Panigrahi, Chairman of Odisha State Seeds Corporation & District President of BJD, Shri Upendra Saha, Senior Liaison Officer of the Coffee Board of India (Koraput) and Shri Pradip Mohanty, President of Odisha Coffee Growers Association, graced the occasion as the guests of honour.

The integrated coffee curing and storage unit was unveiled to the attendees after a customary ribbon cutting ceremony.

The event was attended by the members of the coffee fraternity comprising of the local coffee growers (both tribals and non-tribals). Local coffee growers who are affiliated with KDF were felicitated with silver coins, personalised goodies and certificate of recognition, to appreciate their efforts in producing quality coffee. Other attendees, including the local tribal dancers and performers, were handed over attractive hampers.

On the sidelines of the event, KDF also introduced its green beans coffee brand “Kora Milds – Coffee from the East”.

A day before the main event, KDF organised a feast for the neighbouring villages and the workers, which was attended by more than 150 people.

A volleyball tournament was also organised for the youth of the villages forming part of the local Gram Panchayat, with the winning team being felicitated with a cash prize.

source: http://www.sambadenglish.com / Sambad English / Home> Economy / by Sambad English Bureau / March 26th, 2022

Till date, coffee is grown in only one revenue block of Bastar district but the Chhattisgarh government is now planning to expand coffee cultivation to other districts of Bastar region, which include seven Maoist-affected districts of Chhattisgarh.

The Chhattisgarh government has decided to open a ‘Bastar Café’ in New Delhi, Raipur and other metro cities and is also considering signing a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with private companies to promote the café.

The cafés will be run on a franchise model with the condition that the name ‘Bastar’ would be compulsorily included in the brand name of the coffee.

Recently, senior officials have also been directed to prepare a project to promote cultivation of coffee and tea in the plateau areas of Bastar and Sarguja division of Chhattisgarh.

“We have not yet chalked out an overall plan of the project and consultation with various departments is going on but ‘Bastar Café’ will surely turn global in future. Bastar Cafe will serve mainly coffee grown in Bastar but it will also give a complete experience of the local food of Bastar including cookies made of ragi, milk shake, mahua laddu and bar, sitafal ice cream and other Chhattisgarhi and tribal cuisine. Thousands of people are involved in growing coffee in the state. Bastar Cafe will be opened in many malls, across Chhattisgarh and also in metro cities of the country,” said Alok Shukla, chief executive officer (CEO) of Rozgar Mission, who is in-charge of the project.

“Franchises can be self-help groups as well but other private sector organisations and start-ups will also be encouraged to take franchises,” said Shukla.

Till date, coffee is grown in only one revenue block of Bastar district but the Chhattisgarh government is now planning to expand coffee cultivation to other districts of Bastar region, which include seven Maoist-affected districts of Chhattisgarh.

“Plantation of coffee is done in Bastar’s Darbha region but we are now planning to expand in Sukma and other districts. In the first phase, eight quintals of coffee have been produced, which is being utilized at the Bastar Cafe opened in Jagdalpur. Nearly two kilograms of coffee is being consumed per day at this cafe. At least three more cafes can be started for utilization and marketing of the quantity of coffee being produced. A decision has been taken to open such cafes in Raipur and Delhi as well, so as to ensure the branding of Bastar Coffee,” said an official involved in the project.

He informed that coffee has been planted in 55 acres of Darbha area of Bastar in 2021.

Presently, coffee cultivation is proposed in an area of 5,108 acres in Bastar district, which includes 1,075 acres in 9 villages of Tokapal block, 1,027 acres in 11 villages of Lohandiguda, 1,445 acres in 14 villages of Bastanar, 460 acres in 7 villages of Bakawand and 1,101 acres in 13 villages of Darbha block.

Officials said that the Agriculture College, Jagdalpur has completed preparations for coffee plantation in 245 acres of land in Darbha.

“The horticulture department is in the process of getting 2.50 quintals of certified seeds of ‘Chandragiri’ variety from Coffee Board Bangalore, which would be utilized for producing 5 lakh saplings. These saplings will be planted in an area of 500 acres area… Likewise, Agriculture College Jagdalpur will also produce two lakh saplings from a quintal of certified seeds to be received from Coffee Board Bangalore. These saplings will be planted over an area of 200 acres. A target has been set to expand the area under coffee cultivation in 1000 acres of Bastar district every year. By 2026, nearly 5,820 acres of land would be brought under coffee cultivation,” said an officer of the public relation department.

KP Singh, scientist (Horticulture), who is overseeing the ‘Coffee project’ in Bastar, said that climatic conditions of Bastar are quite suitable for coffee cultivation.

“We are encouraging more and more tribes to cultivate in this area and training is continuously going on. We are hoping that soon Bastar coffee will become a brand in the market,” Singh added.

District Collector of Bastar, Rajat Bansal, said that Bastar Café will create employment and tourism in the area.

“Bastar Café could be a big brand of coffee and we are working on it. As per the direction from the state, currently, the district administration is trying to expand coffee plantations in an area of more than 5000 acres. The future target is Tokapal, Lohandiguda, and Bastanaar revenue block of the district. The key scientific parameter which makes Bastar coffee a unique product is the content of chlorogenic acid, caffeine and protein with a percentage of 6.02, 0.53 and 11.22 respectively,” said Bansal.

In terms of crops, the district administration aims to promote coffee as a non-conventional agricultural product which will help them to shift from paddy and also generate coffee tourism in future, the collector added.

source: http://www.hindustantimes.com / Hindustan Times / Home> India News / by Ritesh Mishra / February 17th, 2022

Raipur : 

Bastar, one of the districts in Chhattisgarh, well-known for its dense forests, is identified largely as a Maoist-dominated area. The state government, however, is set to give an overall makeover to the district by eradicating the Maoists from the area promoting the production of coffee to give the region a new identity in the country and at the global level.

There are widespread talks about promoting coffee cultivation in Bastar, after the recent state visit by Congress MP Rahul Gandhi.

He had a cup of coffee at the Bastar coffee stall at an exhibition held in the terror hotbed. In order to promote coffee in the Indian and international market, Congress MP suggested that state Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel sign an MoU of ‘Bastaria’ coffee with international coffee brands.

The life of the people in Bastar is completely dependent on agriculture and forest produce. Paddy is grown the maximum in terms of agriculture, but now innovation is slowly taking shape. Coffee is being cultivated on several hundred acres of land in Darbha, Kakalgur and Dilmili villages under the Darbha block due to which the forest dwellers and farmers are earning huge profits.

The reason for the cultivation of coffee in the Darbha block of Bastar is that this cultivation can be done only in those areas which are located several metres high above the sea level. People associated with realising this initiative say that three things are necessary for the cultivation of coffee — height from sea level, rainfall between February-March and area which is not under direct sunlight. The Darbha development block is located at an altitude of 600 to 1400 metres above sea level.

Two varieties of coffee are being grown in Bastar — Coffee Arabica and Coffee Robusta. Coffee was cultivated as an experiment, which has proved to be successful and now farmers have started cultivating it. Many other crops can be produced along with coffee cultivation.

Bastar Collector Rajat Bansal told IANS that the people from the tribal community, who depend completely on forest produce and traditional farming, are choosing coffee cultivation as a profitable and viable option. Their life is undergrowing a transformation with their income doubling. The state government has formed a coffee board to encourage the cultivation of coffee in the state. The coffee produced here has been found to be of high quality by the coffee board of the country.

Experts say that in a year, nearly Rs 30,000 to 40,000 per acre is the profit earned from the cultivation of coffee which is much more than other crops. In view of the adaptability of the climate in Bastar, coffee cultivation has been started on nearly 3,000 acre. The popularity of Bastar coffee is fast spreading in foreign countries as well. Coffee is currently being exported from the state to eight countries.

Coffee cultivation can be of immense help for increasing the income of farmers in the state, that is why an action plan has been prepared for the coming six decades which will benefit the farmers on a large-scale.

source: http://www.daijiworld.com / Daijiworld.com / Home> National> World / by Sundeep Pournaik – IANS / February 16th, 2022