Coffee Board Golden Jubilee Meet Charts Future Of Araku Coffee
The meeting, chaired by District Collector T Nishanti, highlighted five decades of achievements in coffee research, tribal development and environmental conservation. The Collector described the 50-year journey of the RCRS as a historic chapter in the expansion of coffee cultivation across the Eastern Ghats.
By : DC Correspondent
Update: 2026-07-30 05:31 GMT
Alluri Sitharama Raju Dt: The Regional Coffee Research Centre at RV Nagar in the district marked a significant milestone on Wednesday as officials, scientists and tribal farmers gathered at Paderu Coffee House to plan the golden jubilee celebrations of the Coffee Board’s establishment.
The meeting, chaired by District Collector T Nishanti, highlighted five decades of achievements in coffee research, tribal development and environmental conservation. The Collector described the 50-year journey of the RCRS as a historic chapter in the expansion of coffee cultivation across the Eastern Ghats. She noted that production, which stood at just 15 tonnes in 1971, has now risen to nearly 15,000 metric tonnes, with the area under cultivation expanding to 1.12 lakh hectares across Andhra Pradesh and Odisha.
She credited the Coffee Board, scientists, extension teams, government departments, and tribal farmers for their collective role in this transformation. She emphasised that tribal farmers remain the driving force behind the success of Araku coffee.
She said coffee cultivation has provided sustainable livelihoods, reduced dependence on paddy farming, and contributed to forest conservation, soil fertility, and ecological balance. The Collector praised the RV Nagar centre for its services, including the development of improved coffee varieties, distribution of quality plants, farmer training, and technical guidance. Looking ahead, she urged stakeholders to focus on quality enhancement, value-added products, branding, exports, climate-friendly practices, and stronger market linkages to elevate Araku coffee’s global recognition.
She stressed that such measures would further strengthen the social and economic development of tribal communities. Congratulating Coffee Board scientists, officers, staff, and farmers for their distinguished service, she called for united efforts to make Araku coffee a world-renowned brand.
The meeting was attended by Coffee Board deputy director (extension) HR Muralidhar, RCRS head D Sunil Babu, former research director N Suryaprakash Rao, senior liaison officer S Ramesh, Jain Irrigation senior vice president Dr. Narayan, officials from ITDA, district horticulture department, APFDC Ltd, representatives of NGOs, farmer producer organisations and tribal coffee farmers.