Kerala’s coffee revolution brews in Wayanad: From humble beans to global dreams

A quiet revolution is percolating in Wayanad, where tribal and smallholder farmers are steering a radical shift in India’s coffee economy — with a climate-smart, cooperative-led model inspired by Gujarat’s Amul dairy success.

🌱 A cup above the rest

Two years ago, when Dutch experts evaluated Wayanad beans from Brahmagiri and Biowin Agro Research, they returned stunning scores of 83 and 86 — considered among the finest in global specialty coffee. Until then, local farmers weren’t even aware of their coffee’s quality, scoring a modest 52 on average.

This discovery catalyzed the Climate Smart Coffee Project, now a cornerstone of the Kerala government’s Wayanad Coffee Park initiative — blending sustainability, quality, and farmer empowerment.

🧩 The Amul-inspired model

Recognizing that 60% of Wayanad’s 60,000 coffee farmers are marginal or tribal, the project embraced the Anand cooperative model:

• JLGs → FIGs → 6 Farmer Producer Companies (FPCs)

☕ Kalpetta Coffee Park: More than a processing hub

Set on 20 acres, the park will house:

• Grading and cupping labs

🔁 From strip plucking to specialty grade

Farmers are now trained to selectively pick only red, ripe beans, replacing the older strip-plucking methods. Already 2,000 farmers are on board — many through existing milk cooperatives.

🚀 Global ambitions: Wayanadan Kappi goes premium

With Robusta beans scoring far higher than expected, the project is branding Wayanadan Kappi as WIFR (Wayanad Indian Fine Robusta) — recently showcased at the World of Coffee expo in Copenhagen.

Plans are in motion to:

• Train 15,000 farmers

🔚 A future already unfolding

“This isn’t just about coffee,” says project advisor Prakash Madhavan. “It’s about climate resilience, fair pricing, and farmer dignity.” With more farmers now recognizing their beans’ value, Kerala’s coffee revolution isn’t brewing — it’s pouring.