Visakhapatnam: Farmers are witnessing a promising harvest within coffee plantations in Manyam district. In Paderu, wherever the eyes go, coffee can be seen in the form green buds and light red fruits.
Manyam’s farmers say this year's crop is going to be good due to abundant rains in the months of March to May. This is the period when coffee plants are flowering, pollinating and fertilising.
According to an estimate, this year's yield of coffee beans is expected to be 750 kg per acre.
Farmer Kimudu Krishnam Naidu of Gudem village in Peddabailu mandal says, “The agency has been blessed with more than normal rains between March and May. Such rains are very suitable for coffee plantations. Generally, the yield of coffee is 500–600 kg per acre. We have taken good plant protection measures. This year, we are hopeful of getting 650–750 kg per acre. Yield of coffee is good quality only when ripe fruits are picked, pulped by machines and dried properly.”
Divya, a coffee fruit picker, underlines, “Shedding of coffee flowers had been minimal due to good rains. Budding and fertilising of fruit has been good. Fruits are strong this time. We are expecting an additional 100 kg or more of coffee fruits.”
With encouragement provided by the government, coffee has been planted over 43,000 acres in the agency area between 1985 and 2009. From 2009 to 2014, coffee plants came up over 39,000 acres. Since then, one lakh acres have been planted with coffee so far. Total, 1.8 lakh acres is under coffee. On their own, tribal farmers have planted coffee plants over another 30,000 acres.
Livelihood of about 1.2 lakh families depends on coffee.
During the last season, coffee sold between Rs 230–280 a kg. Asked about the pricing this year, Girijan Cooperative Corporation vice chairman and managing director Gedela Suresh Kumar told Deccan Chronicle, “GCC is also planning to fix the best minimum support price for coffee beans. Last time, we set it at Rs 270 per kg. We have put up the file in this regard before the coffee apex committee for a decision.”
