Home stays hold up Kodagu's plantations

Plantations in Kodagu district are facing a severe shortage of workers. The locals are either after jobs in offices as drivers, watchmen and security guards, an easier job, than the hard work in plantations.

They are otherwise migrating to cities looking for white collar jobs after education. Consequently, this has resulted in a shortage of labourers from other states. This has impacted the local culture as well, as Kodagu is known for Kodavas and their unique culture and social life.

It was a society of the Kodavas, owning and looking after lush coffee, cardamom, orange crops earlier, the local labour assisting them.

However, things have changed today in this district in the Western Ghats, interspersed with lush plantations, and the Cauvery taking birth at Talacauvery and meandering through the district to flow towards Mysore and further south. No wonder, the British then called it the 'Scotland of India'. It has retained these features.

The lack of local labour has driven up the cost of labour. A local plantation worker was paid between Rs 30-40 a day earlier. Now it costs Rs 120-150 per day today.

Plantation owners had to go through a critical period during 2002-04. For about 3-4 years, coffee prices was very low. Its prices fell as low as Rs 10 per kg. The planters lost heavily.

It was at this time that the planters thought of an additional source of income and that was 'home stays'. Holidaying at a 3,800 feet above sea level, enjoying the splendour and serenity, breeze and music of the twigs and the birds, amidst greenery attracted visitors to these 'home stays' in plantations. Farm-based tourism caught up in the district.

"Manuring, pruning, processing need hard work. But today, a large number of easy jobs are up in the market. The local labour is moving out. They are not keen on working in plantations. Therefore, we collect labour from Kerala. People also come from far-off places like Bihar and Assam," says a plantation owner.

"Kodagu today has nearly a thousand home-stay facilities," says C C Thimmaiah, who organises the annual 'Kodagu IT.com', which tries to promote tourism also. The state government is also promoting home stays as part of tourism.

"Having become popular, resorts and home stays have turned into a source of additional income, supporting us to cover a part of the plantation expenses. The flow of leisure-seeking tourists and visitors is increasing. Corporates are finding these places ideal for their events and programmes. Planters are happy with this additional source of revenue," adds a plantation owner.