Karnataka govt sanctions Rs 25 crore to set up 2,500 coffee kiosks

Bengaluru: The state government has sanctioned Rs 25 crore for setting up 2,500 coffee kiosks (Akka Cafe), which will be operated by women trained under Self-Help Groups (SHGs).

The initiative is aimed at strengthening the coffee value-chain and promoting economic empowerment through employment generation, said Large and Medium Industries Minister MB Patil on Thursday.

He was speaking after inaugurating the India International Coffee Festival (IICF), organised by the Specialty Coffee Association of India (SCAI) at Palace Grounds in the city.

The Coffee Board, in collaboration with the National Rural Livelihood Mission – Karnataka, is providing training in coffee brewing, cafe management and entrepreneurship to one lakh women associated with SHGs across the state. The government is also extending scholarships to children of workers employed in coffee estates and large plantations in Kodagu district, he added.

It is encouraging that coffee growers themselves are branding their produce and showcasing it at the festival, he said. At the ‘Kala Loka’ outlet set up by the Industries Department at Kempegowda International Airport, coffee is being showcased and sold alongside more than 45 other GI-tagged products from the state, with distinctive packaging and branding, he noted.

Coffee is cultivated over 2.2 lakh hectares in Karnataka, making the state the largest producer in the country.