Coffee Board

Syllabus: General Studies Paper 2

On the side lines of the annual conference of United Planters Association of Southern India, The Coffee Board is coming out with a sustainability code for Indian coffee.

Coffee Board 

• The Government of India established the ‘Coffee Board’ through a constitutional act “Coffee Act VII of 1942” under the administrative control of Ministry of Commerce and Industry. 
• The Board comprises 33 members including the Chairman, who is the Chief Executive and appointed by the Government of India. 
• The remaining 32 members represent the various interests such as coffee growing industry, coffee trade interests, curing establishments, interests of labour and consumers, representatives of governments of the principal coffee growing states, and Members of Parliament.
• Role of Coffee Board: Coffee Board serves as the friend, philosopher and guide to the Coffee sector covering the entire value chain. The core activities are primarily directed towards research & development, transfer of technology, enhancement of production, quality improvement, export promotion and supporting development of Domestic market.
• The head office of the Coffee Board is situated in Bangalore.
• International Coffee Day is on 1st October.

About coffee and its cultivation:

• It is indigenous to Abyssinia Plateau (Ethiopia) from where it was taken to Arabia in 11th century. From Arabia, its seeds were brought to India by Baba Badan Giri in the 17th Century and were raised in the Baba Budan Hills of Karnataka.

Conditions of Growth

• The hot and humid climate
• Temperature between 15°C and 28 °C.
• Rainfall from 150 to 250 cm.
• Well-drained, rich friable loams containing a good deal of humus and minerals like iron and calcium are ideal for coffee cultivation.
• Dry weather is necessary at the time of ripening of the berries.
• The crop is not tolerant to
• Frost and snowfall.
• High temperature above 30°C and strong sunshine (Hence, generally grown under shady trees on Northern and Eastern aspects of Hill).
• Prolonged drought.
• Stagnant water (Hence, grown on hill slopes at elevations from 600 to 1,600 metres above sea level).

Type and Varieties of Coffee

• The two main varieties of coffee viz., Arabica and Robusta are grown in India. Arabica is mild coffee, but the beans being more aromatic, it has higher market value compared to Robusta beans. On the other hand Robusta has more strength and is, therefore, used in making various blends. 
• Arabica is grown in higher altitudes than Robusta. 
• The cool and equable temperature, ranging between 15 degree Celsius to 25 degree Celsius, is suitable for Arabica while for Robusta, hot and humid climate with temperature ranging from 20 degree Celsius to 30 degree Celsius  is suitable. 
• Arabica requires more care & nurture and is more suitable for large holdings whereas Robusta is suitable irrespective of size of the farm.
• The harvest of Arabica takes place between November to January, while for Robusta it is December to February. 
• Arabica is susceptible to pests & diseases such as White Stem Borer, leaf rust etc., and requires more shade than Robusta.