Fall in coffee price has severely affected farmers, with the price dropping to Rs.50 for a kilogram of dried beans in the retail market.
This is the peak harvesting season and the price has been falling since the season began. The main harvesting season of coffee is from December to February. Before the harvesting season, the price hovered around Rs.60. Considering the high wages and shortage of labour, many farmers in the district have kept the coffee beans unplucked.
“The cost of labour is Rs.500 a day and employing people to pluck the beans is not viable,” said Kunjumon Pulickamannil, a coffee farmer.
“A farmer should get at least Rs.80 for a kilogram to cover the minimum costs,” said Ajithkumar P.V., a medium-level farmer. The prices have fallen to the present level from Rs.120 a kilogram nearly 15 years ago, he added.
He said that he continued with coffee production as there was a high cost involved in uprooting the plants and converting the land to other cultivation. The farmers demanded a minimum price announced by the government for coffee beans as it is the only annual income of small- and medium-level farmers.
Poor demand
According to marketing sources at Kattappana, there is no chance for a spurt in the price level for coffee beans owing to the poor demand in the global and domestic market.
Plucking of beans no longer profitable
due to high labour cost.
