Mayamudi Gram Panchayat President Apatthira S. Tatu Monnappa, in a press release, said that despite rising international coffee prices, growers in Kodagu are being denied fair compensation. He demanded that the licenses of coffee buyers who fail to pay international-equivalent rates be cancelled at the district level.
He alleged that exporters and middlemen are exploiting growers and urged Gram Panchayats to safeguard their interests. Small and medium growers, who depend on coffee for their livelihoods, were hopeful of benefiting from the international price rise, but remain disappointed as local rates are not fixed accordingly.
Monnappa said a formal complaint will be filed with the Kodagu Deputy Commissioner with the support of growers across the district, demanding strict action against those cheating farmers.
He stressed that not only growers but also estate workers’ families depend on coffee, the economic backbone of Kodagu. He reiterated that justice can only be ensured if international price parity is implemented for local growers.
