Growers should diversify to boost income: Coffee Board

CEO Jagadeesha suggests eco tourism, growing fruit trees

Coffee farmers in the country should think innovatively and create additional revenue streams to make the growing process more sustainable and profitable, urged the Coffee Board.

According to the board, in addition to traditional intercropping of pepper and cardamom, coffee growers can try multiple options such as planting exotic fruit-bearing trees, growing food crops or getting into fish and dairy farming, apiary or green tourism to increase incomes from their coffee gardens.

“To continue in coffee and make it sustainable, growers should focus on creating additional revenue streams through inter-cropping or through innovative measures,’’ K.G. Jagadeesha, CEO and Secretary, Coffee Board told The Hindu,