As the State heads towards the much awaited Panchayat polls next year, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Saturday announced to expand coffee plantation in the district.
As per the announcement, the State government aims at expanding the area of coffee plantation by 5,000 hactares in the next five years which will boost the economy of the relatively backward Koraput district,
The big declaration came during a State sponsored programme where Patnaik distributed Biju Swasthya Kalyan smart health cards to the beneficiaries in the district through virtual mode.
“Koraput Coffee has hit the market as a new brand. It has brought new opportunities for the tribals in the district. I am happy to announce this as it will pave way for the economic development of Koraput,” said Patnaik.
Apart from this, Patnaik also inaugurated several developmental projects worth Rs 1000 Cr during the virtual meet.
The Chief Minister on October 1 had launched a dedicated e-Commerce platform to enhance the income of coffee farmers in the State on the occasion of International Coffee Day. The CM also announced setting up of two outlets in the State.
Launching the website, Patnaik hailed the coffee farmers in the tribal areas and said that coffee grown in Koraput is of high quality and can be developed into a famous brand within the country as well as overseas.
It is pertinent to mention that coffee farming is transforming the lives in the Tribal hinterlands of the district. Koraput, being located at a height of 3,000 feet above sea level, is ideal for coffee cultivation due to its cool climate and rainfall. This home grown coffee is a single origin 100 per cent Arabica coffee that will be competing with speciality coffee market in the near future.