By Bizodisha Bureau, Bhubaneswar, August 12, 2018: Odisha is planning to promote coffee cultivation on a “mission mode” as part of its efforts to improve the economic condition of farmers in tribal dominated Koraput district, officials said.

The Koraput district authorities are have recently undertaken a drive to plant coffee seeds on 20 hectares of government land at Kapsiput village in Laxmipur block of Koraput.

Last year, the district administration formed a coffee development trust, with the district collector as its head, to study and research the viability of the project. According to a survey conducted by the administration, at least 1,45,170 hectares in Nandapur, Lamataput, Laxmipur, Semiliguda, Dasmantpur and Pottangi blocks of Koraput are “suitable” for coffee cultivation.

The coffee plant, with a life span of around 60 years, bears fruit with minimum maintenance. The seeds are sown nearly two years after shade plantations as the crop requires filter sun rays for growth.

“The beneficiaries will be able to harvest coffee only after the fifth year. In between, they can earn by harvesting spices like black pepper,” Collector K Sudarshan Chakravarthy said adding that the climatic condition here is conducive for coffee cultivation.

If properly promoted, it can provide a sustainable source of income to the farmers. “We have decided to promote coffee plantation on a mission mode among them. The climatic condition here is conducive for coffee cultivation. If properly promoted, it can provide a sustainable source of income to the farmers. We have decided to promote coffee plantation on a mission mode among them,” Chakravarthy added.

Chakravarthy said the district authorities will also encourage spice cultivation here.

“Along with coffee, we would promote spices and allied plantations. Once, the plantation work is over, it will be handed over to the community concerned for maintenance and harvesting. Recently, black pepper was planted on eight hectares in the district,” he added.