Wage cost increase hits Karnataka planters

Against the 2007-08 wage of Rs 79 per day, the current wage is at Rs 277

While climate change and a drop in prices are impacting Karnataka's planters on the one hand, increasing labour wage is pushing the cost of doing business upward on the other. Wages constitute more than 60 per cent of the total cost of coffee cultivation. 

Karnataka accounts for about 72 per cent of the total production of coffee in India. Out of this, Kodagu produces about 130,000 tonnes, Chikmagalur about 82,000 tonnes and Hassan 32,000 tonnes. Karnataka also produces about 6.5 million Kg of tea, about 33,000 tonnes of pepper, 1,000 tonnes of Cardamom, and about 40,000 tonnes of rubber.

Karnataka