Kerala - Kalpetta   

Coffee estates in bloom

— Photo: E.M. Manoj

Nature's bounty:Coffee plants in bloom after the summer rain in

KALPETTA: Providing fresh hope to farmers in Wayanad, coffee plants are in bloom after receiving good summer rain. 

The lustrous white coffee blossoms and its charming fragrance fill the hills and plains of the district offering a visual treat.

Coffee Board sources said the blooming of coffee during the season was encouraging but backup showers were also significant as far as production of coffee in the coming year was concerned.

The post-blossom estimate of the Coffee Board last year was 55,474 tonnes from the district and we were expecting better production next year, sources said. 

Most parts of the district experienced good summer showers a week ago, between 25 mm and 50 mm. “If we get good backup showers by the middle of March, the farmers can expect a bumper crop next year,” the sources added.  “We expect good production next year as we have got healthy flowers, thanks to the summer rain. The backup showers are important for setting the flowers after pollination,” Mathew Kizhakkedath, a small scale farmer at Meenangadi said. 

Mr. Mathew said large-scale farmers could use modern irrigation systems such as sprinklers as an alternative for the backup showers but the small scale farmers had to wait for the mercy of rain gods. 

The blossoming of coffee has put large estates in difficulty as they could not complete the harvest owing to dearth of workers. Many owners feel the early blossoming might delay the harvest further.

K. Raghvan of Lakshmi Estate at Sulthan Bathery said the delay in harvest might increase the threat of pest attack.

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Coffee estates in bloom

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