The Technology park, which will concentrate on research and aggressive marketing of coffee, is expected to give a boost to coffee growers not only in the state, but also in the country.
Headway is at last being made on setting up the much talked about coffee technology park in Chickmagalur with BJP MLA C.T. Ravi, who is from this part of the state, strongly backing the project.
The technology park, which will concentrate on research and aggressive marketing of coffee, is expected to give a boost to coffee growers not only in the state, but also in the country.
The land acquisition process for the park has begun, with a survey being carried out for the purpose near the Ambale industrial area in Kadrimidri village. The park will cover 20 acres and will be implemented through public-private-partnership.
"I have already spoken to the chief minister about the project, and very soon I will be calling for a meeting of the stakeholders involved, including the Karnataka Coffee Growers Federation. Karnataka Planters Association and Cafe Coffee Day. We have been talking about this project eve: since Mr P.G.R. Sindhia was the industrial minister, but sadly little has been done," Mr.Ravi told the Deccan Chronicle.
The project was important to the state as although Karnataka grows coffee, the industry is hampered by a lack of proper knowledge and infrastructure, he explained.
The MILA said he had been holding discussions with companies in Germany and Italy on technical knowhow for the tech park.
"We should be able to brand our coffee in such a way that it makes a mark in the global market, and Chickmagalur should become the marketing centre", he added.
In recent years there has been a steep fall in coffee production in the country.
While India had produced 3.35 lakh tonnes of coffee in 2000, today this has fallen to 2.6 lakh tonnes. Karnataka accounts for 72 per cent of coffee production in the country. Of the two lakh coffee growers in the country around 1.2 lakh are in the state, spread across Chickmagalur, Hassan and Kodagu districts.
Dr. N.K.Pradeep, President. Karnataka Coffee Growers Federation feels the tech park will help the country produce better quality coffee.
"Since it is a research based tech park, we can add value to what is already there. There is a huge market for chocolate coffee, coffee cakes, coffee liquers, and so on.
Also, because our coffee is shade grown, the quality is good and this can lead to promoting organic or eco-friendly coffee. Molasses from the coffee husk could be used as feed for animals, and thrust could be given to effluent management," he added.
He explained that pests and drought had a cumulative effect on coffee in the country.
"Arabica coffee was more or less wiped out. An increase in input cost and severe shortage of labour has added to the problems, he said.
