Chikkamagaluru: From building a unified global identity for Indian coffee to testing machinery that could ease plantation labour shortages, the Coffee Board of India is pursuing two-pronged strategy to strengthen the sector — expanding its international market presence and making cultivation less labour-intensive. At the Central Coffee Research Institute (CCRI) in Balehonnur, Board chairman MJ Dinesh outlined plans to market the country’s diverse coffee varieties under a single brand, INDICOF, while overseeing field trials of a remote-operated weeding machine that could help growers tackle rising wages and worker shortages.India supplies coffee to 120 countries, but lacks a unified global brand, Dinesh said. The country is the world’s seventh-largest coffee producer and fifth-largest exporter. INDICOF aims to bring together the distinct identities of coffee-growing regions under one international brand, showcasing the diversity and quality of Indian coffee.Dinesh said he had written to the external affairs minister on the initiative, following which the respective embassies prepared reports on its pros and cons. The response received so far has been positive, he added.Under its Vision 2047 roadmap, the Board aims to raise annual coffee production from the current 3.5 lakh tonnes to seven lakh tonnes and generate Rs 50,000 crore in foreign exchange earnings by the centenary of Independence. It also targets speciality coffee accounting for 15% of total production.India currently cultivates Arabica and Robusta across about four lakh hectares. Plans include expanding cultivation in non-traditional areas and improving yields in Karnataka’s established coffee-growing belt.Planters believe Chikkamagaluru, regarded as the birthplace of coffee in India, can play a key role through sustainable practices and premium speciality varieties.However, boosting production will also require addressing mounting operational challenges, particularly labour shortages and rising wages. Growers in Chikkamagaluru and Kodagu have flagged difficulties in finding workers during peak weeding and harvesting seasons, with weeds also competing for soil moisture and nutrients if left uncontrolled before the monsoon.Against this backdrop, the Board assessed a remote-operated weeding machine developed by a Tamil Nadu-based agritech company at the CCRI campus on Monday. Unlike conventional brush cutters, the machine can be controlled from a distance, potentially reducing manpower requirements, operating time and cost.Dinesh said the machine showed promise, but needed modifications to suit plantation terrain. A CCRI scientist said it chops weeds into fine pieces that can decompose into nutrient-rich organic manure.A researcher, however, cautioned that several improvements were needed before the machine could prove effective.Regional planter Shivanna, who has trialled the machine, said it had made weeding easier and was simple to operate and maintain.The Board will assess the feedback before deciding whether to recommend it to growers.The branding initiative and technology trials reflect the Board’s efforts to improve Indian coffee’s global competitiveness, while helping growers manage the costs of cultivation.
