THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The government is all set to replicate the successful integrated coffee project of Araku valley in Vishakhapatnam, in Wayanad district.
An expert team that visited Araku valley held discussions with NGO Naandi, promoters of the special coffee plantation. The NGO has formed cooperative societies of small and medium coffee farmers who are mostly engaged in pulping. They produce high quality parchment coffee which fetches high price.
“Its a good model for replicating in Wayanad. There is a need to handhold small farmers in our plantation sector. Guide them in getting good raw material, help them join value chain and facilitate good cultivation practices to ensure good products,” said an official.
The KINFRA and industries department which are behind the project, want to help the coffee farmers to market their products effectively, get better prices without the involvement of middlemen.
KINFRA is conducting a field study in Wayanad to identify farmers, cultivable areas, quantity being produced currently, what type of intervention is required for replanting and the current demand and supply pattern. The findings of the study would help in charting the road map.
The target group is the clusters of coffee farmers working in similar conditions. They need to be aggregated and given guidance for producing quality product.
Referring to the Araku valley experience, officials said without support, farmers were getting only Rs 50 per kg for their produce. Naandi entered the area as part of CSR activities mainly to help people in improving their education and health. The health and education standards are directly linked with income. “The lesser the income the poorer the health and education facilities,” said an official.
Once their income was increased, health and education standards improved automatically. When Naandi entered the area, the middlemen were having a field day. They were lending money and charging huge interest and buying back their produce. The core issue was to bring them out of the debt trap.
Naandi repaid all the debts, took the farmers on board, gave them good saplings and helped them nurture these plants. Currently they are getting good price through online marketing and value added products. The profit is shared back with the farmers.
The same model can be replicated in Wayanad where a large number of farmers are struggling with agri debts.
