Kodagu: Lush green coffee plantations that once turned the entire Kodagu district into a complete feast for eyes have been devastated.
It is said that over 4000 acres of coffee plantation have been destroyed in the recent calamity in the district and with this, the state exchequer will be affected.
Kodagu district produces over 3.5 lakh tonnes of robusta and arabica coffee beans per year and out of this at least one lakh tonne is expected to have been lost in the catastrophe this year, said Coffee Board sources.
The other major commercial crop of the district, black pepper too has been lost. The pepper creepers are grown with the coffee as a mixed crop.
With desperate situation prevailing in the district, the coffee curing and related industries are too expected to face the consequence. The workers employed in the coffee sector are worried as there are possibilities of their sole source of income ending abruptly for a while.
Amrita Coffee Curing works situated on the banks of river Kaveri was completely flooded, as the result coffee brewing machines, Coffee beans collected for export were all lost. Managing Director of the company, Kannan said that the company has suffered losses up-to Rs 6 cr. The case of Amrita Coffee is only a tip of the iceberg. The growers say that it is going to take time for the sector to get back to its past glory.
