In their attempt to expand the coffee plantations in the Agency areas, the Integrated Tribal Development Agency, Paderu is distributing about 2.20 crore coffee saplings to the farmers. The plantation programme will be held over 16,000 acres across various parts of the Agency on August 8 in Alluri Sitharama Raju district.
According to the ITDA officials, during the year 2015-16, the ITDA had spent around ₹516 crore and encouraged coffee plantations over one lakh acres across the 11 mandals of the Agency (former Visakhapatnam Agency). Every year, the ITDA has been taking steps to increase and spread the coffee plantations, apart from providing constant support to the farmers to get good price. At least 15,000 acres of coffee plantations have increased every year. As on date, there are over two lakh acres of agricultural fields with coffee plantations in the ITDA Paderu limits.
ITDA Project Officer V. Abhishek said that they have targeted to increase another 16,000 acres of coffee plantations this year. To achieve this, distribution of coffee saplings is being taken and massive sapling plantation programme will be carried out on August 8 in 1,435 villages across the 11 mandals.
A total of 812 farmers from Ananthagiri, 982 farmers from Araku Valley, 982 farmers from Dumbriguda, 1,000 farmers from Hukumpeta, 1,089 farmers from Pedabayalu, 1,167 farmers from Munchingputtu, 1,410 farmers from Paderu, 1,888 farmers from G. Madugula, 2,844 from Chintapalli, 1,491 from G.K Veedhi and 840 farmers from Koyyuru are receiving the coffee plantations as part of the drive. These farmers will grow coffee plantations over 16,000 acres, as per the officials.
“The ITDA aims at providing good price for the coffee to benefit the farmers. With a budget of around ₹7.70 crore, two coffee pulping units are being set up in G.Madugula and G.K Veedhi mandals,” Mr. Abhishek added.