Farmers Expect High Yield of Coffee and Pepper

With the monsoon underway, farmers in Mangaluru is expecting a good yield of coffee and pepper. Farmers grow commercial crops such as coffee, peppers, bananas and cardamom. Farmers of paddy cultivation rely on the monsoon to grow rice. They use water from Harangi and Chiklihole reservoirs to grow rice.

However, the area of rice cultivation is decreasing due to changes by farmers at the field coffee plantation. Heavy rains over the last three years have damaged crops. Farmers said, "This year we had received average rainfall for the crops and we are expecting a good yield”.

It was only in a few areas that coffee beans began to wither first after constant rain. In general, heavy rains in Soorlabbi, Garvale, Shanthalli, Kota Betta, Mukkodlu, Iggodlu, Madapura damage crops every year.

Major Coffee Growing Regions:

The producer grows Arabica coffee in the Somwarpet, Shantharlli and Kodlipete regions, while Robusta coffee is grown on a large scale in the Southern Kodagu. The drop in rainfall has brought a hope to of farmers growing pepper.

(Arabica coffee is a type of coffee made from the beans of the Arabica coffee tree. The Arabica species is native to highlands of southwestern Ethiopia and is the most popular type of coffee in the world, accounting for more than 60% of world coffee production)

Farmers in Handli, Bellaralli, Kodlipet and Shanivarasanthe grow vegetables, green peppers, radishes, ginger, okra and marigolds for sale in the Hassan, Arkalgud and Holenarasipura markets.

According to authorities, 14.50 hectares of crops were damaged in the area during these years. This includes 9.20 hectares of crops in Virajpet. An investigation into crop damage is ongoing.

The area of cultivation in the district:

Madikeri - 40,689 hectares

Somwarpet - 43,853 hectares

Virajpet - 77,676 hectares

Rainfall statistics for Kodagu Year Rainfall

2018        411 cm

2019        318 cm

2020        228 cm

2021        193 cm (till Aug 16)