coffee export
Prime Minister Narendra Modi mentioned coffee today during the 127th edition of his monthly radio address ‘Mann Ki Baat’. The Prime Minister said that you all know my association with tea, but today I thought why not talk about coffee in ‘Mann Ki Baat’. He then highlighted the growing global popularity of Indian coffee and made special mention of the Koraput region of Odisha. Let us tell you what is the business of the coffee place mentioned by the PM.
PM Modi recalled last year’s edition of the radio program in which he had talked about Araku coffee from Andhra Pradesh. PM Narendra Modi said that some time ago, many people of Odisha had also shared their feelings with me about Koraput Coffee. He had written a letter to me requesting that Koraput coffee should also be discussed in ‘Mann Ki Baat’.
Koraput Coffee
He described the taste of Koraput coffee as “amazing”. He said that apart from taste, coffee farming is bringing tangible benefits to local communities. He mentioned the passion of some growers in Koraput who left high-paying corporate jobs to cultivate coffee. He further said that his love for coffee is so deep that he left his jobs and is now working successfully in this field.
Coffee production and export
- Koraput is known for its unique agro-climatic conditions, which are ideal for high quality Arabica coffee. According to news agency PTI, coffee is cultivated on about 5,000 hectares of land in the state.
- Odisha Tribal Development Cooperative Corporation Limited (TDCCOLL) manages the processing from procurement to drying, grading and marketing and ensures the quality of the produce.
- Arabica and robusta coffee are mainly cultivated in India, with Karnataka accounting for about 70% of the national production, followed by Kerala and Tamil Nadu.
- Non-traditional areas like Andhra Pradesh and Odisha are gradually emerging as new agricultural centres.
- India’s coffee exports increased by 12.5% to US$ 1.05 billion during April-September this financial year.