Italy's University of Coffee to open Extension Center in Bangalore

Bangalore, Oct 29 (UNI) The University of Coffee, a centre of excellence established in Italy, to spread the Italian coffee culture internationally, will be opening its Extension Centre in Bangalore to offer courses in basics and advanced technology to Coffee growers in India, according to illycaffe Chairman Dr Andres Illy.

Talking to UNI, after distribution of Fourth 'India Coffee Quality' awards here last night, he said that ''the courses offered by the University would be from basic, genetics, market management and on Coffee management.'' The main object of the University would be to have their experts work directly with the Indian coffee growers community to enable improvement in methods of harvesting, curing, processing and packaging. The University would also organise various courses for the food and beverage industry, professional baristas, coffee shops and restaurant managers, he added.

He said that the University of Coffee's first extension Centre in Brazil established in 2000 was a great success and over 3000 Coffee growers have studied there so far.

The Extension Centre is expected to be opened in January 2007.

Stating that Indian Centre would be the second Extension Centre, Dr Illy said that ''the University will organise its lessons on how to improve the quality of their crops, traveling around the coffee growing areas.'' UNI MSP VD BD1720