Wayanad’s Indian Fine Robusta (WIFR), a speciality coffee produced in the key coffee-growing region of Kerala, was launched at the World of Coffee event in Copenhagen recently.
Primarily growing the robusta variety, Kerala is the second largest coffee-producing State in the country, accounting for about 20 per cent of the annual output of 3.5 lakh tonnes(lt), with Wayanad being the chief growing area.
The global launch of WIFR involved a public-private initiative comprising a Kerala government entity and the Wayanad Coffee Growers Association (WCGA).
Kerala Industry Minister P Rajeev said the acceptance received at the conference held in Copenhagen is proof that Kerala’s unique coffee can find an international market.
Balagopal, Programme head, Carbon Smart Coffee Initiative, an arm of the Kerala Development and Innovation Strategic Council (K-DISC) of the Kerala Government, said it was a landmark development in Wayanad’s coffee history and will go a long way in securing economic stability for its growers through higher price realisation. This is the first time that Wayanad robusta coffee has moved into the speciality coffee league, he said.
Anoop, President of WCGA, said the entry of Wayanad robustas into the speciality range has been possible because of carefully implemented good agricultural practices (GAP) coupled with disciplined harvesting and post-harvesting techniques including appropriate biological intervention. Wayanad robusta’s Geographical Indication tag is proof of its unique quality characteristics, he added.
Dharmaraj Narendranath, independent consultant and advisor, said the Carbon Smart Coffee Initiative and its allied organisation Kerala Coffee Ltd (KCL) would function as a standard-setting platform to certify coffees that deliver excellence in product quality, product safety and sustainability elements to the discerning customers worldwide. It is also aimed to ensure that the benefits reach small, marginal and tribal farmers. “The dairy farmers are the key players in this respect and we are collaborating with them through their dairy cooperative network,” he added.
