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Rs. 80 cr. released as interest subsidy for coffee growers

By Our Correspondent

CHIKMAGALUR, JAN. 21. K.R. Keshava, Vice-Chairman of the Coffee Board, has said that the Union Government has released more than Rs. 80 crores in the form of interest subsidy and other benefits to coffee growers.

Speaking at a programme organised by a coffee growers self-help group in Sargod on Tuesday, he said the Union Government had given prominence to the welfare of small coffee growers.

He said about 250 self-help groups had been given subsidies of Rs. 2 lakhs each for community sprinklers, roasters and drying yards to improve the quality of coffee.

Mr. Keshava said Rs. 100 crores had been earmarked for price stabilisation of coffee from 2004 to 2014. The Board had reduced interest on crop loan availed of by small growers to five per cent which would result in a saving of Rs. 30 crores, he added.

Pointing out that about Rs. 622 crores would come under the Special Coffee Term Loan Package, he said a proposal had been submitted to the Centre to reduce interest on this loan to six per cent. The Coffee Board had distributed Rs. 1.5 crores under a special scheme to growers whose coffee plants had been affected by the stem borer pest, he said.

Observing that the coffee industry had been adversely affected by unfavourable weather, fall in production and reduced price and attacks by pests and diseases, Mr. Keshava called for a united effort to overcome the crisis.

Appealing to growers' organisations not to needlessly criticise the Union Government, he said the Coffee Board had consulted representatives of growers before taking a decision.

S.P. Suresh, President of the self-help group, presided over the programme. A.S. Diwakar, member of the Coffee Board, spoke.

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