Karnataka’s coffee cultivation area remains stagnant: KPA chairman
Indian coffee planters are struggling due to a lack of State subsidies, long-term low-cost capital for drip irrigation, and a shortage of climate-resilient varieties
Karnataka, India's dominant coffee-producing state, is grappling with stagnant coffee cultivation areas, according to M. Salman Baseer, Chairman of the Karnataka Planters Association (KPA). The cultivation area, which accounts for over 70% of national coffee production, has remained unchanged for the last 15-20 years due to factors such as rigid land conversion laws, lack of State-sponsored credit, underfunded subsidies, high-interest rates, and the unavailability of climate-resilient and high-yielding varieties.
Baseer emphasized the need for policy changes focusing on yield intensification through climate-resilient, high-density planting and aggressive branding of shade-grown gourmet coffees to protect India's global competitiveness.
Brief written by urgent.news from The Hindu's own syndicated text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
