Bhubaneswar, Oct 24: Know the Koraput Coffee, the homegrown brew of Odisha that spurs aroma from the Semiliguda valley-New Delhi-Modi’s cup, even reaching as a crazy & enticing beverage overseas.
While, Karnataka, Kerala, and Tamil Nadu are among the leading coffee-producing states in India , Odisha’s Koraput distirct is now accounting for a significant share of India’s coffee production, being a non-cluster area of the India’s existing coffee landscape with unfavourably dry and humid climate.
Most significantly, the Koraput Coffee has now secured a global marketplace as Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday hailed the Odisha-grown brew during his 'Maan Ki Baat' episode.
Dharmendra Pradhan, Union Education Minister & MP Sambalpur also acknowledged the PM’s endorsement saying, Koraput Coffee is really unique in taste and flavour. He also took pride on the feat of the tribal farmers who have adopted the novel ways of coffee cultivation nurturing the valleys with traditionally examining the climate resilience.
According to the Central Coffee Research Institute (CCRI), coffee is cultivated over 7,000 hectares in Semiliguda, Dasmantpur and Laxmipur in Koraput, mostly led by tribal women’s self-help groups.
The Koraput valley in winter produces about 600 tonnes of coffee annually, valued at Rs 30 crore at current market prices, despite the valley clings less cold in winter as compared to that of Karnataka or Kerla,the coffee-major states.
Koraput Coffee for its distinguished features, especially for its rich aroma, has made a place on the national stage by clinching two prestigious Fine Cup awards, one each in the Arabica Washed and Arabica Naturals categories at the Flavour of India Fine Cup Award competition.
The Koraput district administration received the certificate of appreciation during the ‘Know Your Kappi’ (KYK) Drive-2024 organised by the Coffee Board of India in Bengaluru a few month ago.
Here, the local made-in Odisha cash-crop was recognised among the top four coffees across India regarding its organic processing and exceptional taste with its strong and appealing aroma.
With the global reach, the Tribal Development Co-operative Corporation of Odisha Ltd. (TDCCOL), which spearheads the production and marketing of Koraput Coffee, boosted the coffee farming to a grand scale.
Meanwhile, from collecting ripe coffee cherries directly from the doorsteps of tribal farmers with inspecting the realtime processing and quality control, the TDCCOL's integrated approach ensured consistency and self-reliance among the coffee growers.
Koraput, situated at an altitude of 2,800 to 3,400 feet above sea level, offers a favourable climate for coffee cultivation.Hillside Koraput & the gallants’ drink coffee story dates back to 1930, when Maharaja Rajbahadur Rama Chandra Deo of Jeypore introduced coffee plantations in the hilly areas of the pragana then.
Post-independence, the Odisha government, initially through its soil conservation department, expanded coffee cultivation as part of an effort to prevent siltation in Machkund hydro-electricity project.
Today, Koraput boasts over 3,500 hectares of coffee plantations, including 778 hectares of private plantations managed by around 4,300 tribal farmers. The district has also become a model for organised marketing strategies and sustainable farming, encouraging many farmers to embrace coffee cultivation for their robust economy.
According to the state database, at least 1.46 lakh hectares of land in Koraput is conducive for coffee cultivation.The Koraput district administration has decided to undertake shade plantation for coffee on more 1,000 hectares of land in 2025-26, taking the demand of the product across India and worldwide into account, and the technical expertise of the concerned coffee growers.
Odisha Governor Hari Babu Kambhampati on his visit to Koraput, recently tasted the sip of Koraput coffee that gave him an impetus to ask the state agriculture department to bolster Coffee production in the valley for a sustainable development of the tribal community.
From the ground he said, Koraput has vast potential for growing coffee. Thus, government agencies must make efforts to attract more coffee-growers to expand the cultivation for socio-economic development of the district.
The GUV also visited the Coffee Board at Koraput and interacted with coffee growers, officials of district administration and the board officials to discuss regarding the coffee-cherry farming.
Speaking on the occasion, Kambhampati emphasised on bringing more areas under cultivation of coffee in Koraput by encouraging local as well as contract growers. He asked the officials to prepare a map of available potential coffee cultivation areas in the district with land related information which would be beneficial for interested growers.
He also suggested officials and coffee growers to tag coffee plantations with tourism prospective for development of the tribal areas.
Out of interest for the offbit seeds harvested in the non onventional habitat, the governor visited coffee plantations under the Coffee Board where he took views on different varieties of coffee and processing methods with immense pleasure.
With the interventions of the Coffee Board, the State agriculture department and TDCCOL, diverse flavours of coffee are currently being grown in natural surroundings in the Koraput district. It is highly appreciated by the people across the nation and abroad as well, for its taste and quality.
Most significantly, now Odisha’s Koraput coffee has found a place on the global coffee map beating righteously the top and popular brands including Bru, Nescafe, Tata Coffee, Blue Tokai and Third Wave Coffee, Starbucks, Levista, Rage Coffee, Costa Coffee,among others global trademarks.
With a pride for Koraput & Odisha, the Geographical Indication (GI) Tag accorded to the Koraput Coffee fetched a global name of the brew as a mouth-watering beverage, for its intrinsic aroma and organic features.
The Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) and Government of Odisha are promoting the Odisha coffee to boost it as a major Agri Products to be exported to scores of nations.Regional exporters are also being encouraged to explore their array of products, from the state for promotion in the global marketplace.
With the abundant feat of Koraput Coffee and its valued growers as a role model, coffee croping is now expanding to Odisha’s Rayagada, Gajapati, Kalahandi, Kandhamal and Keonjhar districts.
While the Coffee Board Chairman is ambitious of more coffee clusters in Odisha he is also in persistent touch with the Agriculture Minister, Odisha KV Singh Deo, for massive support to the new-era cashcrop farming in Odisha.
As per the surging trade of Koraput Coffee, it is now having captive outlets in prime scenic spots and spectacular markets across the state. Apart from it, the Koraput Coffee exclusive Cafe is now emerging as a brighter brand in the beverage marketplaces across the country, even in the National Capital.
The ‘Deomali Coffee’ cafe, a miniature venture of the Koraput Coffee in Odisha’s state capital Bhubaneswar, is of course the biggest exclusive coffee outlet to sell out lion’s share of ready-to-serve sips, dust-beans, coffee cherry and the wholesome beans, both online & offline.
One of the Deomali Coffee stall, situated by the Khandagiri-ITER road becomes a crowdpuller for the coffee-gagas both in the morning and evening, for its appealing offers.
While a Nescafe-standard branded and popular coffee sale costs over Rs 200 per 100 gram, foodies are collecting pure, secured and organic bean-dust at Rs 100. Similarly, the wholesome beans are also cost-effective for the customers in comparision to the BOCA, Costa or other coffee brands, available in the market.
