Growers throng coffee machine fair

Growers from various villages visited the stalls which displayed various equipment useful in coffee plantations. They also collected details regarding its usefulness from the representatives of the manufacturers. Information on various equipment including machine to dig pits, mini tiller, mounted sprayer, branch cutter, coffee beans plucker and other machines useful in the coffee plantations were passed on to growers at the fair.

The Coffee Board had organised the fair with an objective to increase the productivity and profit by introducing modern equipment in coffee plantations. The move is also aimed at solving the problems of shortage of labourers, increase in the labour charge and reduction in the yield.

In-charge Deputy Director of the Board S V Nagaraj suggested that the growers should make use of the scheme benefits under the 11th Five Year Plan by mechanising the coffee plantations.Board Member Nanda Belliappa said that growers should show more interest in mechanisation. Meanwhile, another Member Chandramathi Ganesh said that the Central government has sanctioned Rs 50 crore for the coffee industry. Growers should purchase necessary equipment to avail the government scheme benefits, she added.