The coffee growers from Karnataka, which accounts for 70% of India’s coffee production, have sought a subsidy package of Rs 300 crore from the Central government for mechanisation during the 12th Plan period (2012-17). During the 11th plan period, the Planning Commission had allocated Rs 50 crore in the fifth year of the plan of which only Rs 22 crore were released to the beneficiaries.
“There is a need to undertake massive mechanisation in the coffee plantations as there is a huge shortage of labour. We have submitted our proposal to the government through the Coffee Board and there are positive responses from the government for allocating higher amount for mechanization. However, the final sanction is yet to come from the Plan Panel,” Marvin Rodrigues, Chairman, Karnataka Planters’ Association (KPA) said.
He said the coffee planters (small, medium, big and corporates) are planning to invest an estimated Rs 1,000 crore for mechanisation during the next five years. The industry is seeking only about 30% of this amount as subsidy.
India’s coffee production for 2011-12 was 314,000 tonnes consisting of 101,500 tonnes of Arabica and 212,500 tonnes of Robusta. For the current year, the Coffee Board has estimated coffee production at 325,300 tonnes.
“We have requested the commerce ministry for an action plan for research and development of the CCRI for the next five years, which would cover development of new high yielding Arabic strains (resistant to leaf rust and white stem borer) and effective control measures for white stem borer. There is a need to develop drought resistant and high yielding robusta strains which are good in the cup,” Rodrigues added.
Indigenously manufactured machines for different field operations should be developed on a war-footing. With low technology and innovative ideas many of the field operations could be mechanised locally, he added.