Mysuru: The CSIR-Central Food Technological Research Institute (CSIR-CFTRI), in collaboration with the 7 Beans Group, Sakleshpur, organised a one-day awareness and training programme on Coffee Quality Evaluation and Value Addition to equip coffee growers, entrepreneurs and stakeholders with scientific knowledge aimed at improving coffee quality, enhancing value addition and strengthening market competitiveness.
The programme brought together nearly 170 coffee growers from the 7 Beans Group and featured expert sessions on coffee cultivation, quality assessment, processing technologies and entrepreneurship. Participants also received practical exposure to advanced food processing infrastructure and technologies available at CSIR-CFTRI.
Focus on value addition and quality improvement
Inaugurating the programme, CSIR-CFTRI Director Giridhar Parvatam welcomed the initiative and appreciated the collaboration between the institute and the 7 Beans Group in promoting the coffee sector.
He highlighted the growing importance of value addition in agriculture, stating that quality evaluation and value-added processing have become essential for increasing farmers’ incomes, improving product quality and meeting the changing expectations of consumers.
Parvatam said scientific interventions and technology adoption would enable coffee growers to remain competitive in both domestic and international markets while creating new business opportunities.
Good agricultural practices emphasised
Pradeep K. N., president of the 7 Beans Group, stressed the importance of adopting scientific agricultural and post-harvest practices to produce premium-quality coffee.
He encouraged growers to diversify into value-added coffee products instead of relying solely on the sale of raw coffee beans. According to him, consumer preferences play a decisive role in determining the success and long-term sustainability of coffee businesses.
He noted that understanding market trends and maintaining consistent product quality would help coffee growers build stronger brands and access better market opportunities.
Sustainable farming discussed
Chairman of the 7 Beans Group, Dharmaraj H. S., spoke about the challenges faced by coffee cultivators and underlined the need for adopting appropriate crop management and cultivation practices.
Drawing from his own experience in natural farming, he encouraged growers to combine traditional agricultural knowledge with modern scientific techniques to improve productivity, sustainability and profitability.
He said balanced farming practices could help coffee estates become more resilient while maintaining high-quality production standards.
CSIR-CFTRI showcases technology
Addressing the participants, A. A. Inamdar, Scientist G and Head of the Technology Transfer and Business Development Department at CSIR-CFTRI, introduced the institute’s wide range of food processing technologies.
He explained the technology transfer and commercialisation support available to entrepreneurs and encouraged participants to make use of the institute’s expertise in developing innovative value-added coffee products and commercial ventures.
The session highlighted how research institutions can work closely with farmers and entrepreneurs to promote innovation and strengthen the food processing sector.
Expert lectures and practical demonstrations
The inaugural session was followed by a series of technical lectures on coffee cultivation, agronomy, quality evaluation, value addition, business opportunities and methods for detecting coffee adulteration.
The sessions were conducted by experts including Dharmaraj H. S., Nanishankar H. V., Sudheer Kumar Y., Pavan Kumar P. and Pushpa S. Murthy, who shared their knowledge and practical insights with participants.
As part of the programme, delegates visited several advanced facilities at CSIR-CFTRI, including the CFTRI Showcase, Pilot Plant, PMFME Coffee Processing Centre, Electronic Nose (E-Nose), Electronic Tongue (E-Tongue) demonstration facilities and the BIRAC BioNEST Incubation Centre.
The visits gave participants first-hand exposure to cutting-edge technologies supporting food processing, quality testing and entrepreneurship development.
Interactive panel concludes programme
A panel discussion moderated by Pushpa S. Murthy provided participants with an opportunity to interact with experts and gain a deeper understanding of innovative value-added coffee products and emerging business opportunities.
The programme concluded with an interactive valedictory session, during which participants expressed confidence that the training would contribute significantly to promoting scientific coffee cultivation, quality evaluation, value addition and entrepreneurship in Karnataka’s coffee sector.
With nearly 170 coffee growers participating, the initiative reinforced the importance of collaboration between research institutions and industry stakeholders in enhancing the competitiveness and sustainability of India’s coffee industry.