New Delhi March 18: Coffee Board since 1970 is engaged in the development of coffee in North Eastern Region (NER) with a view to providing sustainable income to tribal growers and to wean away the tribal inhabitants from ‘Jhum’ cultivation. Since XI plan period Coffee Board has been implementing a comprehensive Coffee Development Programme covering the seven North Eastern States viz., Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, Manipur, Mizoram, Nagaland and Tripura. The scheme comprises support for Coffee Expansion, Consolidation of Existing Holdings, Quality Up gradation, Marketing of coffee, Raising of Group Nurseries. Besides these the Board through its Research & Extension set up in the NE states, has been providing support in terms of research, transfer of technology and capacity building to coffee growers. Recently, the Board has strengthened its extension manpower in the NE Region by filling up of regular posts for an effective implementation of the coffee development programme.
The total financial allocation for Coffee Development in NE Region for the current financial year (2012-13) is Rs.5.50 Crore out of which 5.37 Crore has been utilized as on Feb 2013.
There has been a gradual increase in the production of coffee in NE Region. The production of coffee in NE Region increased from 143.20 MT in 2009-10 to 220.00 MT in 2011-12.
This information was given by the Minister of State in the Ministry of Commerce & Industry, Dr. D Purandeswari in a written reply in the Lok Sabha today.(SP News)
