Coffee Turns Biller For Kodai Growers.

INDIA -- While farmers in other parts of the state are clamoring for protection of standing crops from wild animals, the farmers in Kodaikanal have been employing elephants to destroy coffee plantations in order to shift to other crops, it was stated in The Hindu.

Massive pest attacks, hike in labor charges, a periodical rise in fertilizer price and processing expenses including curing, poor rainfall, an all-time low in prices of coffee have forced many farmers to quit coffee cultivation.

Coffee has been grown on a large scale in Western Ghats, especially in the Kodaikanal range in Palani hills and Sirumalao. Arabica variety has now been cultivated on 11,000 hectares and Robusta on 1087 acres at Adalur, Panrimalai K C Patti Pachalur, Periyur, Solaikadu, Perumalmalai, Poolathur, Semptuamkulam, Manalur, Thadiyankudisai, Thandikudi and Pannaikadu in Kodaikanal hills, Sirumalai aid Megamalai.

While last year the yield was around 5,500 tons the Coffee Board forecast a yield of 7,000 tons of Arabica and 850 of Robusta this year. But farmers feel that the yield may not be as expected due to pest attack and reduction in acreage in certain pockets The price of Arabica (parchment), which was oscillating between at Rs. 150 to Rs. 200 per kg, slumped to Rs. 38 per kg this year and that of Robusta (cherry) touched an all-time low of Rs. 12 per kg. compared to Rs. 30 and Rs. 60 in previous years. The sale price did not match the labor cost. Which was Rs. 50 Per day for men and Rs. 40 for women.