THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY
(SMT. ANUPRIYA PATEL)
(a) to (c): Yes, Coffee Board is implementing the Integrated Coffee Development Project (ICDP) under which various interventions such as research & development, technology transfer, capacity building, support to mechanisation of estates, coffee area development, market development, support to value addition etc. for overall improvement of production, productivity and quality of coffee. During the last three years i.e. 2018-19 to 2020-21 and current year upto December 2021, Coffee Board has provided financial assistance amounting to Rs. 159.86 crores towards various components of the scheme.
(d) The Government has accorded due priority to the promotion and development of organic coffee production in the country. The Coffee Board is providing technical support and guidelines for organic coffee cultivation in all coffee growing states, with special reference to Tribal growers. Under the “Integrated Coffee Development Project” the Coffee Board has, inter alia, implemented Eco-Certification / Organic Certification programme to encourage production of eco-certified coffees by adhering to quality standards.State-wise production data of organic coffee as per APEDA is as under:
Unit:MT
State/Region 2018-19 2019-20 2020-21
Andhra Pradesh 329.653 396.505 425.262
Karnataka 2802.382 4456.964 4718.078
Kerala 11133.868 14850.223 16148.857
Tamil Nadu 297.633 445.529 1109.342
Total 14563.536 20149.221 22401.539
Source: Agriculture and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority
(e) &(f): Coffee plantations especially in the state of Karnataka and Kerala have suffered losses due to natural calamities, drought and unseasonal rains. Compensation to eligible growers is disbursed from the Office of District Administration to eligible growers as per NDRF/SDRF norms.
(g) : As per the assessment made by the Coffee Board, while harvesting of crop was not much affected, some estate operations were delayed due to covid lockdown, which may have had an impact on the coffee crop. Due to restrictions imposed to contain the spread of pandemic, demand from hotels, restaurants, café business as well as offices, vending machines, events etc., which are the major out-of home customers, were impacted. With regard to exports, there were disruptions in the logistics, postponement of shipment orders, paucity of containers, high fright rates etc. which affected coffee exports during the first phase of lockdown. Coffee trade has picked up after relaxation in the restrictions and the coffee exports have increased by 45% in value terms (USD) during April to December 2021 as compared to same period during 2020.
Corrective measures taken by the Coffee Board to facilitate coffee exports are as under:
i. Coffee Board has implemented online issuance of export documents with digital signature viz., RCMC, export permit and ICO Certificate of Origin. Export permits and ICO certificate of origin are issued instantly on the same day of receipt of online applications.
ii. Further, Coffee Board increased periodicity of renewal of RCMC certificate from 3 years to 5 years and the validity period of export permits (Form C) and ICO certificate of origin have been extended from 30 days to 60 days.
iii. Besides, the Coffee Board integrated Licenses/ Permits/ Certificates/ Other Authorizations (LPCOs) on ICEGATE e-Sanchit portal for quick customs clearance.
iv. Due to COVID induced restrictions, virtual Buyer-Seller interactions were organised in the major markets / prospective countries (Italy, Netherlands, France, Portugal, Egypt, Singapore etc.)
v. Online interactions between different stakeholders are being organised to give boost to the trade.
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