The Hindu Business Line : Pacts signed to promote coffee, rubber farming in tribal areas

Agri-Biz & Commodities - Plantations
Industry & Economy - Rural Development
States - Andhra Pradesh
Pacts signed to promote coffee, rubber farming in tribal areas

– P.V. Sivakumar

Ms Yogita Rana, Project Officer, ITDA Rampachodavaram, shakes hands with Mr James Jacob, Director, Rubber Research Institute of India, after signing a MoU in the presence of Mr Jairam Ramesh , Union Minister of State for Commerce, and Mr D. Redya Naik, Minister for Tribal Welfare, in Hyderabad on Friday for Integrated Rubber Development Project.

Our Bureau

Hyderabad, Aug. 22 With a view to making rubber, coffee and cashew an attractive income proposition for tribals along the Eastern Ghats and in the north Telangana, the Union Government has facilitated two memoranda of understanding that envisages promotion of organic coffee (the Araku Valley brand) and rubber plantation.

With regard to cashew, the Government has given in-principle nod for setting up a separate Cashew Board on the lines of Spices Board and Rubber Board. The board could be located in Andhra Pradesh, the second largest cashew producer.

Addressing a press conference here on Friday, Mr Jairam Ramesh, Union Minister of State for Commerce and Energy, has asked the Rubber Board to contribute Rs 120 crore for the Rs 240-crore project prepared for the development of rubber plantation in Andhra Pradesh.

The project is aimed at increasing the rubber acreage from 250 acres to 31,000 acres in tribal areas of East Godavari districts in the next six years.

The Rubber Board has entered into an agreement with the State Government in this regard in the presence of the Minister.

With regard to coffee, Naandi Foundation, a non-profit organisation supported by Dr Reddy’s Laboratories, has signed a memorandum of understanding with Integrated Tribal Development Agency (ITDA), Paderu (Visakhapatnam district). Under this pact, the foundation would help 12,000 tribal farmers in the Araku Valley to produce certified organic coffee. While the Tribal Welfare Department would provide working capital as soft loan to the farmers, Naandi would facilitate certification and market linkages.

Incidentally, Naandi had already been promoting the Araku Valley coffee brand internationally, letting the farmers get a very good price. “We have sold 70 tonnes last year. We will be selling 300 tonnes this financial year,” a Naandi representative said.

Mr Jairam Ramesh has suggested that the officials should work to get a GI (Geographical Indicator) for Anantagiri coffee, which has an exclusive aroma and flavour. Echoing the concerns that Anantagiri coffee plantations could be hit because of the proposed bauxite mining in that area, he hoped that it (mining) would not hit the coffee area.

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