The Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade, Ministry of Commerce and Industry has awarded the GI or Geographical Indication tag to five varieties of Indian coffee. These 5 varieties are:
1. Coorg Arabica coffee - grown specifically in Kodagu district, Karnataka.
2. Chikmagalur Arabica coffee – is grown particularly in Chikmagalur district and it is located in the Deccan plateau, belongs to the Malnad region of Karnataka.
3. Wayanaad Robusta coffee – is grown specifically in Wayanad district situated on the eastern portion of Kerala.
4. Araku Valley Arabica coffee – is from the hilly tracks of Visakhapatnam district of Andhra Pradesh & Odisha.
5. Bababudangiris Arabica coffee - is grown specifically in the birthplace of coffee in India & area is located in the central portion of Chikmagalur district. This coffee is also known as high grown coffee which slowly grows in the mild climate & thereby the bean acquires a special taste & aroma.
Earlier, the Monsooned Malabar Robusta Coffee, a unique specialty coffee from the country, was given Geographical Indication certification.
Coffee in India is cultivated in around 4.54 lakh hectares by more than 3.66 lakh farmers, out of which 98 percent are small farmers. It is important to mention that coffee cultivation is primarily done in the Southern States of India like:
1. Karnataka – 54 percent
2. Kerala – 19 percent
3. Tamil Nadu – 8 percent
Coffee is also grown in some of non-traditional regions like Andhra Pradesh, Odisha (17.2 percent) and North East States (1.8 percent).
India is the only country in the world where the entire coffee farming is done under shade, hand-picked & sun dried. The country produces some of the best coffee in the world, which is grown by tribal farmers in the Eastern and Western Ghats. Indian coffee is highly valued in the international market and is sold as premium coffee in Europe.
The recognition & protection that comes with Geographical Indication certification will let the coffee producers of the country to invest in maintaining the specific qualities of the coffee grown in that particular area. Moreover, it will also improve the visibility of Indian coffee worldwide and allow farmers to get maximum price for their premium coffee.
