NEW VARIETY COFFEE IN THE OFFING;

MADIKERI July 14, 2007

A new variety of coffee would be released on December fifteenth, after a gap of 21 years, announced Union minister for state for commerce, Jayaram Ramesh.

Addressing planters here this morning, the minister stated that a new variety of Arabica coffee would be dedicated by the Coffee board and Central Coffee research centre at Balehonnur. Appreciating the efforts of research centre he advised the planters to develop rapport with the centre and coffee board. He called upon the plantation community to encourage new varieties and said that a new variety should be produced compulsorily once in five years to maintain the status of India as a coffee country.

The new variety coffee will be leaf rust resistant, white stem borer resistant and will with stand the weather onslaughts. He said that a colorful name, preferably feminine will be kept for the variety.

The minister announced a subsidy for re plantation and said that around sixty thousand hectares in Karnataka will under go coffee re plantation in ten years time. Re plantation scheme is applicable for pepper, Cardamom and Cocanut also, he said. The planters will receive 25 to 60 percent subsidy depending upon the extent of their holdings.

Referring to the unpredictable rain pattern affecting plantation community in the district, minister said that the government has programme to propagate water augmentation it is encouraging water harvesting. Though water harvesting was done only in a region where water shortage existed, experience has shown that it should be introduced even in a place like Kodagu receiving heavy rainfall.

The minister announced a rupees seven crore coffee relief is sought by the chief minister of Karnataka and the centre may look into it. Stating that this is the first time a separate relief is sought for coffee by the state government, he said that this will cover coffee areas in Kodagu, Chikmagalur and Hassan. Shortly a team of officials will tour the coffee affected areas to asses the loss, he announced.

Responding to the wild elephant menace appeal, he said that he will speak to forest ministry and initiate action to shift the rogue elephants to their camps.

Minister opined that the government is committed to strengthen the coffee industry and said that schemes like Vidarbha package, subsidy, waiver of interest on loans, crop loan, weather insurance are some of the steps taken up by it to support the growers.

He said that if the banks are not following the guidelines of centre on loans and interest on them, he will hold a special meeting at Bangalore and he told the of the coffee board to keep track of the developments. He also opined that domestical consumption of coffee has to be increased as numbers of coffee growing countries are on the rise.

Chairman of the coffee board, Krishna Rao addressed the gathering and said that coffee should become a perennial crop and not a seasonal one. Codagu Planters Association chairman Wilson welcomed the gathering and presented a memorandum. MLA K.G.Bopaiah spoke on the occasion and said that the Weather insurance scheme is unscientifically planed. He also said that crop loan waiver did not help the planters who had already cleared their loan before the announcement came. Kodagu Women’s Coffee awareness association president Chandramathi Ganesh, Katti mandaiah and others spoke on the occasion.

Coffee board vice chairman Vijaya Shankar, members Dr.Kaverappa, Thara Aiyanna, Vimala Gopal and others were present.

The memorandum submitted to the union minister of state for commerce by the Karnataka Growers Federation, Kodagu at Madikeri

Since Coffee is treated as an industry the growers want the benefits rendered to sick industries to coffee also. Coffee board loans to the growers were waived off by the Central Govt. This should be extended to commercial bank loans borrowed by growers.. To provide 75% subsidy f or small coffee growers for coffee pocking mats, drying yards and coffee storage godowns to enable the improvement in coffee quality.

To increase subsidy to 75% for irrigation sets and ponds to enable the increase in coffee production. Rising of nursery and free supply of plants “Arabica” to be given to all the growers by the coffee board as in the past 10th plan.

Automatic rain gauges to be installed in each of the remote locations to be monitored. by the coffee board for insurance purpose.

Request the ministry to evolve mechanism to assess the damage caused to the coffee plantations due to natural calamities, which doest not exist now. Waiver of loan and interest to be given to the small growers holding 25 hectares and below as one time solution. Interest on working capital and term loans to be reduced to 4%. Govt. to consider the affect of white stem borer for Arabica; the rain damages and to implement the scheme to help the growers.

There is acute shortage pf work force in the coffee industry. The coffee growers need machineries, to improve the working condition on the estate on time and to reduce the work force. The ministry to draw up a list of machineries through coffee board and to recommend this to the Govt. of India to cut down import duty.

JAMMA ISSUE; VIDHANA SOUDA CHALO BY ACTION COMMITTEE;

Within a day after the congress announced its decision to hold Vidana Soudha chalo programme to urge government to cancel the circulars harming Jamma holders, Jamma land action committee has now come out with the same statement. Jamma land action committee was formed on this eleventh including representatives from all communities and organizations.

Addressing a press conference here yesterday, the action committee chairman and president of Akila Kodava Samaj, Matanda Monnappa said that they have decided to fight under single umbrella, including all the other organizations spearheading the issue. A special meeting to decide the modalities of the fight will be held on this 16th since the government has not done anything to solve the issue even after holding a bandh, he said. He lambasted the state revenue department which has issued a second circular creating more confusion.

Addanda Cariappa from Kodava Okkuta and Totambailu Nanaiah from Gowda Samaj spoke on the occasion and said that elected representatives should also join hands in the fight. They opined that the issue has to be solved in state level and not by the central government. Some other organization is misguiding the people in this regard, they said.