The Karnataka Planters' Association (KPA) has urged the Commerce Ministry to initiate a research in developing high yielding and drought-tolerant arabica and robusta strains in the 12th Five-Year Plan.

KPA made this suggestion at a consultation workshop organised by the ministry recently. The KPA Chairman, Mr Sahadev Balakrishna, said an R & D action plan by the Central Coffee Research Institute should be undertaken.

“The new strains should be resistant to leaf rust and be effective in controlling the White Stem Borer as well. It is a good chance for sustained arabica production in India and an effective pest control measure is imperative to prevent the conversion of arabica estates into robusta,” he said.

“With severe constraints on water resources, the development of drought-resistant varieties of robusta will mitigate the dependency on irrigation,” said Mr Balakrishna.

Ecological harmony

The Ministry should also give importance to ecological harmony and for maintaining biodiversity.

“The contribution of the plantation sector to the economy coupled with the contribution of plantations in maintaining the ecological harmony has been well documented by many international and domestic organisations and experts. We need to have a benefit wherein the maintenance of shade trees and the preservation of water bodies are rewarded similar to the carbon trading benefits accruing to certain industries,” said Mr Marvin Rodrigues, Vice- Chairman for KPA.

Regarding availability of fertilisers, Mr Rodrigues said the policy of the Union Government in switching over of subsidy payable from type of fertiliser to nutrient-based fertilisers has resulted in acute short supply of urea and also DAP, MOP fertilisers.

Indigenous manufactured machines for different field operations should be developed on a war footing. With low technology and innovative ideas many of the field operations could be mechanised locally, explained Mr Rodrigues.

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