Madikeri: Coffee growers are responding well to the call made by Kodagu District Coffee Growers Cooperative Society by keeping their stocks in its godowns, society president M.B. Devaiah has said.

Speaking to presspersons here on Monday, he said that the apathy of coffee growers has led to losses to the society, which now stand at Rs. 14 crores.

Mr. Devaiah said the society purchased 140 tonnes of coffee from the growers during this season. Many pledged their stocks by availing themselves of the 50 per cent advance amount for coffee consignments. Stocks will be sold whenever the grower wants to and payments made according to the prevailing prices, he said.

Nine coffee depots were opened recently at Cheyyandane, Cherambane, Kakotparambu, Ponnampet, Virajpet, Shanivarasante, Sunticoppa, Konanakatte and Madikeri. Depots will be opened in Ammathi and Napoklu too in the next few days, he said.

Tiding over crisis

Mr. Devaiah said the society hopes to tide over the crisis by selling its property at Hunsur, which is behind a petrol outlet run by it.

The Government has sanctioned selling of 5.38 acres of land. The society plans to convert the plot into a layout before selling it, he said. Mr. Devaiah said the State Government's interest waiver, amounting to nearly Rs. 60 lakhs, has helped the society.

There is a plan to convert one of the society's buildings in Hunsur into a marriage hall and to set up petrol pumps at Hebbale and Ammathi in Kodagu, Mr. Devaiah said. It is also proposed to establish two outlets in Bangalore to sell coffee powder and other products from Kodagu, he said.

P.L. Jyotindra, Managing Director of the society, said it is confident of tiding over the crisis. He appealed to society members to stock coffee in its godowns to increase sales and to put the ailing organisation back on the rails.

Society vice-president Koluvanda Subramani, and directors B.A. Ramesh Chengappa and Jolly Thammaiah were present.

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