International Coffee Day: ASR district eyes better returns for coffee growers

On Thursday, Alluri Sitarama Raju district marked the 12th International Coffee Day by focusing on boosting coffee production, quality, and farmer income. District Collector T. Nishanthi, who presided over the event as chief guest, emphasized the importance of scientific farming methods, traceable supply chains, better market connections, and promotion of organic cultivation and certification.

The district boasts roughly 107,374.89 hectares of coffee fields, comprising 107,139.70 hectares of Arabica and 235.19 hectares of Robusta. Annually, the region yields around 15,200 metric tonnes of coffee, with an average yield of 172 kg per hectare, as per district administration data. To enhance farmer earnings, the Collector advocated for the strengthening of Farmer Producer Organisations via collective processing, grading, branding, and marketing.

She also stressed the potential of mixed cropping techniques and integrating coffee farming with eco-tourism. An engaging coffee preparation contest involving ten teams added to the festivities.