Growing tea and coffee is providing farmers with a greater source of income.
Raipur, 21 December 2022 / Chhattisgarh is well known throughout the world for its unique varieties of paddy. The state is referred to as the “rice bowl” because of its extensive paddy agriculture. A significant portion of the territory in the state has abundant natural resources and already has rivers, forests, mountains, and plateaus. Due to the plateau land’s inability to produce paddy, the people of Jashpur and Bastar had a limited economic impact. Despite all of this, the production of coffee in Bastar and tea in the Jashpur district’s plateau has created fresh opportunities. Based on their research into the climate in these regions, agricultural scientists have given potential outcomes for this new orientation.
The Chhattisgarh government’s decision to establish the “Tea-Coffee Board” at the Chief Minister Mr. Bhupesh Baghel’s proposal is a significant step in this regard. Under this, a target has been set to cultivate tea and coffee each on 10 thousand acres of land. Tea cultivation is being done successfully in the Jashpur district. Here, the government is developing tea gardens on 80 acres of land in Cantabel, Balachhapar, and Sarudih by establishing coordination between the schemes of the District Mineral Trust, Forest Department, Dairy Vikas Yojana, and MNREGA.
Farmers will be able to make up to Rs 2 lakh per acre per year when tea production from the gardens begins in a few years. The benefits of this will outweigh those of paddy agriculture. In a similar manner, Bastar’s Darbha, Kakalgur, and Dilmili have established coffee farming. Here, ‘Arabica’ and ‘Robusta’ varieties of coffee are grown. Bastar coffee’s quality is comparable to that of the Araku Valley in Andhra Pradesh and Orissa. For coffee to be produced, an elevation of 500 meters above sea level is required. Many places in Bastar are elevated above sea level by more than 600 meters, and the slopes of these places offer land which will be suitable for the cultivation of coffee.
The experiment of growing coffee on 100 acres of land has been successful, and the name ‘Bastar Coffee’ is being used to brand the product. Additionally, the horticulture department trains farmers in agricultural production. The unique aspect of growing tea and coffee is that seeds do not need to be sown every year. Coffee farming can generate an annual income of Rs.50,000 to Rs.80,000 per acre for farmers who take good care of their plantations. It also uses less water than paddy cultivation.
In terms of forest products, the state is far ahead, and the cultivation of tea and coffee in the plateau regions is giving the villagers new chances for employment and income. It might be said that the government’s initiative in forming the ‘Tea Coffee Board’ was a positive step. It should be anticipated that this government project, which was founded on the research of agricultural scientists, will produce significant outcomes and that tea and coffee will work to revitalize the prosperity of the state’s farmers and entrepreneurs.
