Board to study feasibility of promoting coffee cultivation in Karnataka's Dakshina Kannada district

New Delhi: The Centre has informed the Lok Sabha that the Coffee Board of India has recently conducted a survey to evaluate the feasibility of promoting coffee cultivation in Karnataka's Dakshina Kannada district.

"In the district of Dakshina Kannada, coffee crops are already under cultivation in some parts like the Malavantige panchayat in Belthangady taluk and extension services are being provided to the coffee growers in that region," Minister of State for Commerce and Industries Jitin Prasada said in his written answer.

The Minister was replying to Dakshina Kannada Lok Sabha member Captain Brijesh Chowta's question on whether the government has taken any steps to promote coffee cultivation in the district.

The Minister said, "Coffee Board, through its scheme ‘Integrated Coffee Development Project’ undertakes various activities which inter alia include distribution of seeds, training/capacity building programs, soil analysis, and advisory services for proper nutrient management, supply of bio-control agents, and cup quality assessment to improve quality."

"In order to improve market accessibility, Coffee Board provides organic coffee certification, organizes buyer-seller meets, attends fairs, holds workshops and cupping sessions along with stakeholders. Coffee Board also provides regular global and domestic market information to stakeholders to assist in price discovery. The Coffee Board also creates awareness amongst growers and entrepreneurs about the coffee market through its training programmes," the Minister said.

Chowta on Thursday met Union Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal and requested him to establish a satellite office of the Coffee Board in Mangaluru to strengthen coffee cultivation in the Dakshina Kannada district.