Kalpetta: A rise in coffee price ahead of harvesting has brought cheers to farmers in Wayanad district, one of country's major coffee growing regions.

The production also is expected to improve this year following conducive climatic conditions prevailing since the time of blossoming.

According to market sources, the price of `robusta' variety touched up to Rs.6,550 a quintal last week against last year's post-harvest price of Rs.4,800 to Rs.5,500 a quintal.

Promising prices

Besides promising attractive post-harvest prices, the trend, if it persists, would induce the growers to tend the gardens better and boost production in coming years.

According to farming circles, in the last few years a tendency has been strong among medium and small holders in Wayanad to switch from coffee to pepper.

Although pepper prices have shown positive trends this year, the farmers could not enjoy the benefit owing to a slump in production caused by various afflictions wilting pepper vines.

Considering this, remunerative prices will signal revival of coffee gardens left unnursed in the last several years.

Fall in production

A possible fall in coffee production in other major producing countries is considered to be the reason for improvement in pre-harvest price, sources said.

Despite prices looking up, the productivity of coffee in the State continues to be much less than the neighbouring Karnataka.

This is regardless of the fact that the climactic conditions of Wayanad were not different from Karnataka's major coffee growing areas such as Coorg, Hassan and Chikamagalur, farming circles said.

"If our farmers have to benefit from improving prices, there should be efforts to improve productivity as well.

Also, promotional agencies such as the Coffee Board should pay more attention to the area," a leading hill-produce trader M.M. Jacob said.

As per the post-blossom estimate of the Coffee Board, the country's coffee production this year is expected to cross three lakh tonnes from 2,74,000 tonnes last year. — PTI

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