Why The Attention on Coffee?
For decades, the southern region of India has been cultivating coffee but the North Eastern region is also ideal for growing coffee with its fertile soil, adequate rainfall, and favourable altitudes hence contributing to the diverse nature of agriculture.
Coffee cultivation in the North Eastern regions is usually carried out by small-scale farmers who grow coffee alongside other crops. This practice promotes biodiversity and also poses as their additional source of income.
This practice also paved the way for the Coffee Board of India to curate Sarkari Yojana and programs such as the Coffee Development Programme in the North Eastern Region: Expansion of Coffee for promoting and improving the quality of coffee, and receiving additional helpful certificates such as the organic certification for availing various benefits.
The Coffee Development Programme in the North Eastern Region: Expansion of Coffee is a sub-component of the government scheme called ‘The Integrated Coffee Development Project during the Medium Term Framework (MTF) Period’ introduced by the Coffee Board of India. It aims to promote coffee cultivation while focusing on organic farming and quality production.
Under this Sarkari scheme, the government provides a 50% subsidy of 50,000 INR per hectare if the unit per hectare cost is 100,000 INR. The subsidy is released in two instalments wherein the first instalment covers 60% of the unit cost and the second instalment covers 40% of the unit cost.
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Eligibility Criteria For Availing The Government Scheme
The eligibility criteria consist of the following points:
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The applicant should be a tribal grower.
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The land should be suitable for coffee cultivation.
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The seed material should be taken from the Coffee Board only.
Application Process
The application process for claiming both instalments is:
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The applicant needs to fill out the printed application form.
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The application form should be accurately filled and necessary documents should be attached like an Aadhar card, Proof of land ownership, and Bank account details along with a signed passport-size photograph.
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The application along with the required documents are to be submitted to the concerned Extension Office of the Coffee Board.
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The respective SLO/JLO Office will then check the documents, execute a field inspection, complete a furnish report, and then move the application ahead.
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The Need For Obtaining Certification
Certifications aren’t merely documents but proofs that validate an individual’s work and provide credibility. The Coffee Development Programme in the North Eastern Region supports various certifications such as:
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Organic Certification: The Coffee Board of India assists farmers and helps them transition to organic farming practices which mainly teaches them to avoid the use of synthetic fertilisers and pesticides to maintain the health of the soil. This certification helps the farmers in selling their coffee as premium coffee at higher prices.
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Eco-Certification: Eco-Certification emphasises sustainable and eco-friendly measures such as mindful water use, minimising carbon footprint, and others. Eco-certified coffee is extremely valuable in the global market.
Both of the above-mentioned certifications validate the premium quality of coffee and also promote sustainable farming practices.
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Conclusion
The Coffee Development Programme in the North Eastern Region: Expansion of Coffee is an imperative step taken by the Coffee Board of India that not only entails promoting coffee cultivation but also organic and eco-certifications that foster sustainable and environment-friendly practices of farming.
If you’ve any queries, you can contact the Coffee Board of India by dialling +91-80- 22266991994.
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