Coffee plants flower after 4 yrs
Pre-monsoon showers bring smile on growers’ faces
With coffee flowers in full bloom in many parts of the district, coffee growers are quite elated. 
Pre-monsoon showers that were recorded in and around the district this time, has raised hopes of the growers to get a bumper yield.
For, during the last four years, the district did not witness pre-monsoon showers that help plants to bloom with flowers thereby promising better yield.
Major coffee belts - Chikmagalur, Madikeri and Hassan districts - have received mild pre-monsoon showers and the plants are in full bloom.
“After four long years, we have received pre-monsoon showers in Mallandur, Byaruvalli and surrounding areas in Chikmagalur taluk. Coffee plants did not bloom in the last four years. But this year, we can expect a good yield,” said Coffee Growers Welfare Forum district committee president H R Uttam Gowda.
One more round of showers will help the plants to bear fruits.
This will also check pest attack on plants, observe growers here.
However, rainfall received is quite scattered around the district.
At least 40 per cent of the plantations have not bloomed and the growers have kept their fingers crossed. In Chikmagalur district, Magundi, Mallandur, Mudigere, Aldur, Balehonnur and the hilly areas have received good amount of intermittent rains. But Gonibeedu, Jannapur, Baskla, Doddanagudde Estate and Makonahalli in the district still wait for the showers.
The amount of rainfall is so poorly scattered that Balehonnur has received good showers while the neighbouring Jayapura is not so lucky.
Similar is the picture in Sakleshpur, Ballupet, Hanbalu, Belur, Nagenahalli and Cheekanahalli in Hassan district.
Only 50 per cent of coffee growing areas in Madikeri have witnessed showers. But growers in Suntikoppa are happy that their plants have received sufficient showers.
Karnataka Planters’ Association president Marvin Rodrigues observed that growers need not be worried this time as there have been good pre-monsoon showers.
