The Kodagu Planters Association has felicitated the newly appointed Managing Director of Tata Coffee Limited P.A.Mandanna recently at Madikeri.
The Chairman of CPA Nanda Belliappa in his felicitation speech expressed that after a gap of over 20 years a local person has become the Managing Director of this prestigious Company which is a great honor to this plantation District. He also mentioned some of the critical issues being faced by the coffee growers such as reintroduction of APMC Cess on Pepper and Areca, SARFAESI wherein the Banks are empowered to sell the mortgaged properties of the growers to recover the dues and the prevailing drought situation with high day temperature causing extensive damage to coffee bushes and Pepper vines which will result in poor crop next year. He said the Association will approach the government through local MLAs for suitable measures.
P.A.Mandanna in his speech mentioned that Tata Coffee Limited being a model Corporate will work in close liaison with CPA and assured his cooperation and assistance for the initiatives of the Association. He also mentioned that Climate change and Human Animal conflict being the serious issues bothering the growers, need to be addressed by the government on priority.
Senior Planter and the past Vice Chairman of Coffee Board Bose Mandanna, the President of Small Growers Association of Srimangala Kaibulira Harish Appaiah, Vice Chairman of CPA A.A.Changappa, Past Chairman of Karnataka Planters Association Dr. M.M.Chengappa, Past Chairman of CPA P.S.Subramani, Manager of Elk Hill Estates P.M.PavanMonnappa, Senior Planter & Spices Exporter T.M.Poovayya, Senior Planter and Industrialist Peetu Kariappa, Planter and Agro Chemist Dr. Somanna Kollimada were present among others.