 "Augmenting coffee production is a challenge: Jawaid Akhtar")
The Coffee Board has scaled down its production estimates for the year 2013-14 following heavy rains in major growing regions in the country. The Chairman of Coffee Board, Jawaid Akhtar explains the reasons to Mahesh Kulkarni on the sidelines of 120th Annual Conference of United Planters’ Association of South India (Upasi) at Coonoor. Edited excerpts:
Coffee Board has estimated coffee output for FY14 at 347,000 tonne. Is it achievable in the current scenario of diseases and excess rains across growing regions?
This is not our final projection. It is only a post-blossom estimate, which is based on the conditions that prevailed in February and March. We had good blossom showers. But subsequently we had two months of drought, followed by heavy rains between June and August. Monsoon rains started on time and continuously remained active without break, thereby affecting the crop prospects. However, the realistic picture will emerge after the post-monsoon estimates. As of now we anticipate around 10% drop over the post-blossom estimates.
As I said we will come to know about it once we complete the post monsoon survey and prepare the estimates. It is too early to make a guess on it. The drop in production could be in the range of 10% over our post-blossom estimates.
When will the Board come out with realistic projections?
We will conduct the survey in major coffee growing regions in the month of October after the monsoon season ends and announce the findings towards the end of October.
What is the average productivity in India and what is the annual growth in production compared to the growth in consumption?
The average national productivity is around 852 kgs per hectare and the production is growing at an average 1.76%. The domestic consumption is growing at 1.35%.
What are the major challenges and priorities before the Coffee Board?
Augmenting production and retaining export share while meeting the domestic demand would be our major challenge and priority. We are also facing stagnation in productivity, which is affecting cost competitiveness. In many areas, we are facing shortage of labour and skill deficit.
How do you propose to tackle these challenges?
We are addressing these issues by replanting and expanding in traditional areas. We are also taking up plantations in non traditional areas like Andhra Pradesh. In traditional areas, the Coffee Board has proposed to take up planting in 15,000 hectares. In Andhra Pradesh, we are planning to cultivate in about 25,000 hectares with the active support of the state government. In Himachal Pradesh, we are collaborating with Agriculture University for a pilot project. We are also planting coffee in about 5,000 hectares in West Bengal with the help of state government. All these plans are being taken up during the 12th five year plan period.
The Board has proposed to continue the subsidy scheme for mechanization and developing new planting designs to suit mechanization in the 12th plan period to tackle the labour shortage issue. We are also strengthening our extension machinery by creating a position of director of extension to disseminate the new research findings to growers.
What are the recent initiatives taken by Coffee Board to fight the diseases on coffee plantations?
We have initiated a collaborative project with institutes under Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) to develop eco-friendly approaches for the management of white stem borer. We are collaborating with Indian Institute of Horticultural Research, Bangalore; National Bureau of Agriculturally Important Insects, Bangalore and National Research Centre for Banana, Trichy for the new research.
A Mission mode action programme on control of White Stem borer was put into operation in the states of Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu. We have launched a collaborative project with the National Bureau of Soil Survey and Land Use Planning on Soil Fertility Appraisal and Soil Health Monitoring in traditional coffee growing regions to prepare soil health cards.
An MoU has been signed with Regional Remote Sensing Centre-South, Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) for taking up an inventory of coffee plantations using geo-spatial techniques.
What are the new programmes coming up this year?
We are going to organize the International Coffee Festival at Bangalore from January 21 to 23 to promote our coffee.
What is the allocation for coffee sector in the 12th plan period and how long will it take to get the schemes approved by the planning commission?
The Planning Commission has allocated Rs 950 crore to coffee plantation sector for the 12th plan. We will be meeting sometime this month in Delhi to finalise the schemes and sub-schemes. There are many schemes like expansion of area in traditional regions and mechanization programme that will be continued and expanded.
Coffee Board has estimated coffee output for FY14 at 347,000 tonne. Is it achievable in the current scenario of diseases and excess rains across growing regions?
This is not our final projection. It is only a post-blossom estimate, which is based on the conditions that prevailed in February and March. We had good blossom showers. But subsequently we had two months of drought, followed by heavy rains between June and August. Monsoon rains started on time and continuously remained active without break, thereby affecting the crop prospects. However, the realistic picture will emerge after the post-monsoon estimates. As of now we anticipate around 10% drop over the post-blossom estimates.
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What do you think will be the realistic coffee production for this year?
As I said we will come to know about it once we complete the post monsoon survey and prepare the estimates. It is too early to make a guess on it. The drop in production could be in the range of 10% over our post-blossom estimates.
When will the Board come out with realistic projections?
We will conduct the survey in major coffee growing regions in the month of October after the monsoon season ends and announce the findings towards the end of October.
What is the average productivity in India and what is the annual growth in production compared to the growth in consumption?
The average national productivity is around 852 kgs per hectare and the production is growing at an average 1.76%. The domestic consumption is growing at 1.35%.
What are the major challenges and priorities before the Coffee Board?
Augmenting production and retaining export share while meeting the domestic demand would be our major challenge and priority. We are also facing stagnation in productivity, which is affecting cost competitiveness. In many areas, we are facing shortage of labour and skill deficit.
How do you propose to tackle these challenges?
We are addressing these issues by replanting and expanding in traditional areas. We are also taking up plantations in non traditional areas like Andhra Pradesh. In traditional areas, the Coffee Board has proposed to take up planting in 15,000 hectares. In Andhra Pradesh, we are planning to cultivate in about 25,000 hectares with the active support of the state government. In Himachal Pradesh, we are collaborating with Agriculture University for a pilot project. We are also planting coffee in about 5,000 hectares in West Bengal with the help of state government. All these plans are being taken up during the 12th five year plan period.
The Board has proposed to continue the subsidy scheme for mechanization and developing new planting designs to suit mechanization in the 12th plan period to tackle the labour shortage issue. We are also strengthening our extension machinery by creating a position of director of extension to disseminate the new research findings to growers.
What are the recent initiatives taken by Coffee Board to fight the diseases on coffee plantations?
We have initiated a collaborative project with institutes under Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) to develop eco-friendly approaches for the management of white stem borer. We are collaborating with Indian Institute of Horticultural Research, Bangalore; National Bureau of Agriculturally Important Insects, Bangalore and National Research Centre for Banana, Trichy for the new research.
A Mission mode action programme on control of White Stem borer was put into operation in the states of Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu. We have launched a collaborative project with the National Bureau of Soil Survey and Land Use Planning on Soil Fertility Appraisal and Soil Health Monitoring in traditional coffee growing regions to prepare soil health cards.
An MoU has been signed with Regional Remote Sensing Centre-South, Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) for taking up an inventory of coffee plantations using geo-spatial techniques.
What are the new programmes coming up this year?
We are going to organize the International Coffee Festival at Bangalore from January 21 to 23 to promote our coffee.
What is the allocation for coffee sector in the 12th plan period and how long will it take to get the schemes approved by the planning commission?
The Planning Commission has allocated Rs 950 crore to coffee plantation sector for the 12th plan. We will be meeting sometime this month in Delhi to finalise the schemes and sub-schemes. There are many schemes like expansion of area in traditional regions and mechanization programme that will be continued and expanded.