Indian Coffee Board to undertake replantation

Chikmagalur (Karnataka), July 17: Coffee Board will mount a massive replantation drive from September this year to give a fillip to coffee production on a sustainable basis, Union Minister of State for Commerce Jairam Ramesh said.

Talking to newsmen, who accompanied him during his tour of three Coffee growing Districts in Karnataka recently for first hand knowledge on problems faced by planters in Karnataka he said replantation would take place in about 80,000 Hectares over a ten year period with 8,000 hectares covered in a year.

He said besides replacing aged plants, the drive would also help eradicate 'White Stem Borer' disease which drastically affects the production. In Chikmagalur alone the production was reduced to 75 tonnes in 2007 from 125 tonnes previous year due to White Stem Borer.

He said to implement the massive replantation plan it was proposed to give a 'Special Purpose Coffee Package' which included subsidy to Coffee growers. Under the package growers owning less than two hectares would be given 60 per cent subsidy by the Ministry, 20 per cent as soft loan and 20 per cent contribution by the owner, the Board, growers owning two to four Hectares would be given 50 per ent subsidy, 30 per cent soft loan, 20 per cent contribution, for growers owning above four hectares and below 10 hectares 40 per cent subsidy, 30 per cent soft loan and 30 per cent contribution and it would be 20 per cent subsidy, 35 per cent soft loan and 45 per cent contribution by the grower.

Mr Ramesh said that the fund allocation for the Indian Coffee Board has been more than doubled in the Eleventh Plan--from Rs 300 Crore to Rs 750 Crore.

To provide security and to overcome the problems faced by the small coffee growers, the Minister suggested formation of Associations on the lines of one formed for Rubber growers in Kerala. "The problems faced by the small farmers, besides weather condition, includes White Stem Borer which is rampant in Arabica plants. Formation of such associations would help during distress", he added.

UNI