Centre working on package for coffee belt

The Centre is working on a farm relief package for coffee growing, agriculture and horticulture districts in Karnataka.

Speaking to reporters after unveiling the mascot of the India International Coffee Festival 2007, here on Thursday, Union minister of state for commerce Jairam Ramesh, said that a similar package is also being worked out for Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh.

According to him, in Karnataka, six districts which have been identified are coffee-growing districts of Hassan, Kodagu and Chikmagalur besides the districts where the highest number of suicides by farmers have been reported like Belgaum, Chitradurga and Shimoga.

He added that six districts in Maharashtra and 16 in Andhra Pradesh have been identified. A package will be announced for all these states, which is expected to be on the lines of the recently announced to Vidharba region in Maharastra.

The relief package which will be announced is expected to take care of long-term interest of the farming community in the states and mainly revolves around farm loan rescheduling, interest waiver, irrigation, development of livestock and agri-credit, he said.

Without mentioning the package amount, he said, "Presently my ministry is working on the quantum of relief and modalities of its implementation. It is likely to be a few thousands of crore but most of it will be borne by the Centre."

The package comes on the back of the pradesh Congress committee chiefs of Karnataka, AP and Maharashtra meeting the Prime Minister and Congress president Sonia Gandhi.