Andhra Pradesh has often been counted among the top coffee growing regions in the country. The state’s coffee-growing regions particularly in Araku Valley and Paderu, have famously been known for their aromatic beans.
While Andhra Pradesh has gained wide spread recognition for producing high-quality coffee, the industry is yet to realize its full potential.
As per industry sources critical measures such as providing direct market access to farmers, adopting best farm practices, and establishing state of the art coffee processing units are need of the hour. Another significant challenge faced by coffee farmers in Andhra Pradesh is their dependence on intermediaries.
Without direct access to the market, many small-scale farmers are forced to sell their produce at lower rates, leaving them with meagre profits despite their hard work.
“GCC has been working to empower farmers and help them take their own decisions and realize the true value of their produce” said GCC’s Vice Chairman and MD Ms Kalpana Kumari, IAS speaking to Vizag Industrial Scan.
Additionally, training farmers in post-harvest techniques like proper drying, sorting, and grading can significantly enhance the market value of their produce. Ms Kalpana further added that the long-term plan is to increase the procurement of coffee every year while organic coffee produced in Chintapalli and GK Veedhi will be certified soon.
Similarly, much of the coffee is proce- ssed outside the state, leading to increased costs and reduced profit margins for local farmers. “Setting up state-of-the-art coffee processing units within the region can transform the industry” said Mr Ram Kumar Varma, Founder, Native Araku Coffee Pvt Ltd. Processing units that handle tasks like pulping, fermenting, roasting, and packaging locally can not only add value to the product but also create employment opportunities.
Moreover, branding and packaging coffee at the origin can help establish a unique identity for Andhra Pradesh’s coffee in national and international markets.
Furthermore, promoting coffee tourism in picturesque regions like Araku Valley can serve as an additional revenue stream for farmers. Tourists can experience farm-to-cup journeys, tasting fresh brews while learning about the art of coffee cultivation.
Mr Vinod Hegde, DGM, Naandi Foundation, said, “A collaborative effort involving the government, private sector actors who operate ethically, and farmer support organi- zations is necessary to ensure a more just and prosperous future for coffee farmers in Andhra Pradesh.”
The demand and price for coffee increased last year in India as drought had impacted production of the crop in major producers like Brazil and Vietnam. This benefitted India as export rose.
“While the national average of coffee production stands at 250-300 kgs per acre, we are able to produce only 120-150 kg per acre. There is a lot of scope for increase in production if timely cultural operations, right inputs, plant population, shade and other factors are taken into consideration,” stated Ramash Samala, Senior Liason Officer, Coffee Board, Paderu.
