Siddapura: A Coffee Planters Meet focusing on various aspects of coffee cultivation, plantation management and the challenges faced by growers will be held at the Church Hall in Siddapura on Wednesday, August 19, 2026, at 9 a.m.
The programme is being organised by Coromandel International Ltd in association with the Coffee Board, Gonikoppal, ICAR-Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Gonikoppal, Lions Club, Siddapura, and Shenbagalakshmi Agencies.
The meet will feature sessions on soil testing, liming and integrated nutrient management, organic manure, bio-fertilisers, macro and micronutrients, nutrient sprays, bush management, coffee subsidies, plant protection, aqua ventures and labour outsourcing.
Former Vice-Chairman of the Coffee Board of India Bose Mandanna N will deliver the introductory talk. Soil health consultant and retired Joint Director of Agriculture, Chennai, A. Ramaraja, will speak on soil testing, liming and integrated nutrient management.
Coromandel International Divisional Agronomist Ramesh Kumar H.V. will address participants on organic manure, bio-fertilisers and nutrient management, while Pattada Arun Chengappa will speak on bush management.
Dr. V. Chandrashekar, Deputy Director, Coffee Board, will provide information on coffee subsidies. Dr. Veerendra Kumar K.V., Subject Matter Specialist at ICAR-KVK Gonikoppal, will address plant protection.
Sessions on aqua ventures and labour outsourcing will be handled by Aiyappa P.I., President of the Lions Club, Siddapura, and Nanjappa K.S. of Palay Hundi Plantation, respectively.
The programme will also feature success stories from coffee planters Malachira Nanaya of Nithoor, Chekera Appaiah (Alok) of Nalkeri, and Chiriapanda Ravathi of Vinayagha Estate, Kirgoor.
The organisers said the meet is intended to provide coffee growers with practical information and expert guidance on improving plantation productivity and adopting sustainable coffee-growing practices.
There are considerable confusion and nervousness on the implications of the recent proposal to bring several rural villages of Kodagu under the Eco-Sensitive Zone (ESZ).
In fact, the District Administration, Coffee Board, Codagu Planters Association and related bodies should clarify the implications of such announcements as it generates unwanted confusion in the minds of Planters.
Good to see Coromandel International taking the lead on organizing this Coffee Growers Meeting – more such events are needed.
Aspirations for better living is growing everywhere and the Small Growers don’t want to be left behind. The obvious immediate contiguous source of income has been Homestays.
It is opportune that the management of this business opportunity is also discussed side-by-side, as the present operations is quite randomly managed. There are no standards, quality checks, security provisions, screening of Homestay units and guests, pricing norms, booking management, food standards, recommended itineraries, qualified/certified guides and more.
If this is properly managed, the Planter has a relatively secure alternate stream of revenue that makes them less dependent on the agricultural cycle if generating income once a year with the sale of coffee and pepper.
The two articles by CLN Online announcing the Coffee Planters Meet and the Coffee Board warning to growers against buying unverified exotic coffee plants are very timely.
Especially the Small Growers, who constitute bulk of the Coffee Growing Community, need proper guidance. There was a time when Consolidated Coffee (CC) provided this “leadership” role suggesting best practices for growing coffee. The Codagu Planters Association had men of stature who represented the District with passion and determination. All of this is now subdued. The composition of the Estate Managers post the sale of CC and BBTC (now sold and divided to realise real estate value) is mostly non-Kodavas. Profit maximization with lower costs is priority with little community involvement.
The need of the hour is “value creation” and optimal best practice of plantation management – hopefully the Coffee Planters Meet with all important stakeholders will provide some good direction. The objective sounds good – The organisers said the meet is intended to provide coffee growers with practical information and expert guidance on improving plantation productivity and adopting sustainable coffee-growing practices.