C Nanjegowda is a proud man these days. A Soliga tribal from Yerakana Gadde Podu in BR Hills, Nanjegowda is a radiographer by profession. But that is not what entirely makes him swell with pride.
“There are 540 tribals cultivating coffee and pepper over 2,500 acres of land,” says Nanjegowda. “They would have sold the produce to middlemen and families earning about Rs 40,000 to Rs 50,000 a year. Hence we decided to trade on our own and supply the produce to established companies in Chikkamagaluru directly.”
For the past 20-25 years, Soliga tribals from Kollegala and Yelandur taluks of Chamarajanagar district regularly traded in coffee and pepper. Unfortunately, they didn’t get the right price for the product, as they were exploited by the middlemen network.
Fed up of the exploitation, educated tribals from the community finally decided to take matters into their own hands. The result: tribal youth not only set up their own trading firm — ‘Biligiri Soligas Producer Company Limited’ — but also achieved a turnover of Rs 1 crore, a rare feat.
Drawing technical support from the Coffee Board, Maharshi Valmiki ST Development Corporation, NABARD, and the Karnataka government sensitised the community members but also ensured technical assistance in cultivation.
“Our ancestors used to cultivate seedlings that were picked from the forest. But the coffee board and Spice Board helped our parents with quality seedlings, and they are cultivated completely by organic method,” says Nanjegowda, who is also the secretary of the company.
Headquartered at Hosa Podu in BR Hills, the company was started in late 2019 and traded only coffee.
“Last year, we sold about 40 tonnes of coffee. In 2020, for the first time, we traded in black pepper. This year, we have produced close to 10 tonnes of pepper. Trading in both coffee and pepper and assisted by Coffee Board coordinator Ashwini Kumar, this year we have achieved Rs 1 crore turnover,” Gowda says.
Adding to their success, the Spice Board of India also appreciated the quality of black pepper, terming it one of the best-cultivated varieties. “The pepper is grown organically under a forest environment. It not only weighs more due to the big size but also has a unique taste,” Nanjegowda said.