K'taka Coffee planters win 'India Coffee Quality' award

Bangalore, Oct 29: Coffee Planters from Karnataka State bagged all the three 'India Coffee Quality' awards instituted by Italy based Illycaffe S.p.A, the world's leading roaster of Espresso Coffee from Italy.

While Mr M Chandy of the Annaparai Estates Limited for its Yelliemadaloo Estate, Chikamagalur bagged the first prize, Mr I J J Rebello of Doddengudde Estate in Mudigere and P N Thyagaraja of Billeshwara Estate in Chikamagalur won second and third prizes respectively.

The awards were presented at a glittering function by illycafe Chairman Dr Andrea Illy here last night with Coffee Board Chairman Krishna Rao and large number of Coffee growers from various parts of the country present.

The winners were presented cheque for USD 10,000, USD 7,000 and USD 5,000 to the first, second and third places respectively.

There were altogether 16 finalists. All the finalists, who were presented Certificates of Merit, would join the elite ranks of suppliers of illycaffe.

Speaking on the occasion, Dr Illy said that the winner would be taken to visit the illy headquarters in Trieste, Italy to provide an opportunity to learn more about the quality standard and how to get better yield from the crop.

Mr Rao, in his address, lauded the role played by illycaffe, which has brought in modern scientific way of curing Coffee and getting better yield.

Mr Rao called upon the Coffee growers to take full advantage of the opportunity provided by illycaffe to improve and come out of old methods in order to improve quality and better marketability.

"We have not upgraded our consumerate. We need to improve the technology to en cash huge domestic market available for quality Coffee", he added.

UNI