Untimely coffee blossoms put growers in a fix

Untimely blossoming in coffee plants owing to unseasonal rain during the harvesting season has put coffee growers in a fix.

The coffee plants have bloomed in almost all the plantations in the taluk. Bidarahalli, Horatti, Bettagere, Guthi, Kundooru, Bharathibail areas had experienced more than the normal rainfall in November and December.

“Owing to rainfall, the harvesting of Arabica coffee was delayed. As a result, coffee beans have started falling on the ground. The Robusta coffee beans have also started ripening due to rains. The blossoming in the plants have affected the harvesting of coffee. This in turn will have an impact on the production,” said growers. Normally, rain in February end or in March helps the coffee plants to bloom.

Rain has affected not only coffee but also paddy and ginger cultivation, said farmer Hanthooru Mahesh.

The heavy rain in August had already affected the production. Now, the growers are struggling to save the available coffee beans.