Govt to set up coffee hub in Koraput: Rout

KORAPUT: Agriculture Minister Damodar Rout on Monday urged farmers of tribal-dominated Koraput district to take up large-scale coffee and black pepper cultivation.Since the district’s climatic condition and soil are favourable for such farming, the State Government is planning to set up a coffee hub in Koraput, Rout informed this while returning back to the State Capital from Malkangiri.

During a review meeting at Koraput town, he said the Government has also planned to promote coffee farming by involving tribals and farmers at an estimated cost of `900 crore in next 10 years. The district administration has already prepared a roadmap for the project covering around 46,600 hectares (ha) of land to create shade plantation. The administration has already developed 451 ha this year by mobilising funds from other sources. Around 50,000 farmers will be benefited. Similarly, a coffee processing plant will be set up with an investment of `2 crore at Semiliguda soon, he informed.

Rout urged farmers to adopt commercial cultivation for their livelihood and skip the traditional pattern of paddy crops. The impact of global warming on environment has resulted in sudden climatic changes in the State for which  farmers have been facing natural calamities including untimely rain every year, he added.
Among others, Additional District Magistrate Devan Kumar Pradhan, Deputy Director of Agriculture Umesh Chandra Sahu, Deputy Director of Horticulture Sankarsan Rout, Additional Project Director Dayanidhi Bagh, CDVO Santanu Takri and ZP Chairman Prabhu Jani were present in the meeting.