<p>Chikkamagaluru: Coffee harvesting is going on in full swing in Chikkamagaluru district but growers are facing a severe labour shortage.</p><p>Increased wages for harvesters have added to their woes making timely harvesting a challenge.</p><p>Currently, Robusta coffee beans are fetching around Rs 410 per kg, while Arabica beans are fetching around Rs 450 per kg. Due to crop losses in Vietnam and Brazil, coffee prices are expected to rise globally and to capitalise on the price hike, growers are focused on harvesting their coffee cherries. However, a surge in demand for labour during harvest season has led to a scarcity of workers.</p><p>Workers and labour contractors who typically oversee the workforce are charging more for their services owing to rising coffee prices but the benefits are not trickling down to migrant labourers.</p><p>Contractors negotiate the wages with plantation owners, and the rate per kg for harvesting has increased from Rs 4 last year to Rs 7 this year. While labourers earn around Rs 400 per day, contractors are reportedly pocketing significant profits.</p><p>Moreover, despite agreeing to pay the high labour charges, growers cannot fix the day of harvest as the contractors dictate when they would get the labourers.</p><p><strong>Migrant labourers</strong></p><p>Due to a lack of workers locally, reliance on migrant labour from Madhya Pradesh and Assam too has increased. These workers who previously worked for lower wages are now demanding higher pay. Contractors, who manage groups of 30–40 workers are profiting from this arrangement.</p><p>Growers are also concerned about the lack of skill among first-time labourers. Many new workers damage the branches and under-harvest leading to quality and quantity issues. Despite these challenges, growers are left with no choice but to employ them.</p><p><strong>Preventing crop theft, a challenge</strong></p><p>While rising coffee prices have brought joy to farmers, protecting their crops has become a significant challenge. Thieves who used to steal coffee beans drying in yards are now directly targeting plantations uprooting entire coffee plants and stealing the cherries.</p><p>To protect the crops, growers have adopted various measures such as keeping guard dogs, installing CCTV cameras, and hiring security personnel. While these steps have reduced thefts from drying yards, cases of direct theft from plantations in areas like Mudigere and Balehonnur have continued.</p><p>Some thieves are even breaking branches to harvest cherries hastily causing damage to the plants. There have also been instances where thieves have stolen freshly harvested cherries priced at Rs 90 per kg as a mere five to six kg of stolen cherries can fetch around Rs 500. </p><p>“Growers who work tirelessly year-round to cultivate coffee, are distressed by the rising thefts during harvest season. Authorities must take such cases seriously, register complaints, and punish offenders. Only strict action will instill fear among thieves,” said Santosh, a coffee grower.</p>
<p>Chikkamagaluru: Coffee harvesting is going on in full swing in Chikkamagaluru district but growers are facing a severe labour shortage.</p><p>Increased wages for harvesters have added to their woes making timely harvesting a challenge.</p><p>Currently, Robusta coffee beans are fetching around Rs 410 per kg, while Arabica beans are fetching around Rs 450 per kg. Due to crop losses in Vietnam and Brazil, coffee prices are expected to rise globally and to capitalise on the price hike, growers are focused on harvesting their coffee cherries. However, a surge in demand for labour during harvest season has led to a scarcity of workers.</p><p>Workers and labour contractors who typically oversee the workforce are charging more for their services owing to rising coffee prices but the benefits are not trickling down to migrant labourers.</p><p>Contractors negotiate the wages with plantation owners, and the rate per kg for harvesting has increased from Rs 4 last year to Rs 7 this year. While labourers earn around Rs 400 per day, contractors are reportedly pocketing significant profits.</p><p>Moreover, despite agreeing to pay the high labour charges, growers cannot fix the day of harvest as the contractors dictate when they would get the labourers.</p><p><strong>Migrant labourers</strong></p><p>Due to a lack of workers locally, reliance on migrant labour from Madhya Pradesh and Assam too has increased. These workers who previously worked for lower wages are now demanding higher pay. Contractors, who manage groups of 30–40 workers are profiting from this arrangement.</p><p>Growers are also concerned about the lack of skill among first-time labourers. Many new workers damage the branches and under-harvest leading to quality and quantity issues. Despite these challenges, growers are left with no choice but to employ them.</p><p><strong>Preventing crop theft, a challenge</strong></p><p>While rising coffee prices have brought joy to farmers, protecting their crops has become a significant challenge. Thieves who used to steal coffee beans drying in yards are now directly targeting plantations uprooting entire coffee plants and stealing the cherries.</p><p>To protect the crops, growers have adopted various measures such as keeping guard dogs, installing CCTV cameras, and hiring security personnel. While these steps have reduced thefts from drying yards, cases of direct theft from plantations in areas like Mudigere and Balehonnur have continued.</p><p>Some thieves are even breaking branches to harvest cherries hastily causing damage to the plants. There have also been instances where thieves have stolen freshly harvested cherries priced at Rs 90 per kg as a mere five to six kg of stolen cherries can fetch around Rs 500. </p><p>“Growers who work tirelessly year-round to cultivate coffee, are distressed by the rising thefts during harvest season. Authorities must take such cases seriously, register complaints, and punish offenders. Only strict action will instill fear among thieves,” said Santosh, a coffee grower.</p>
