Brewing discontent among coffee planters over pending dues out in the open in Araku LS seat in AP

This time the ruling party has fielded Chetti Tanuja Rani, a doctor, while the NDA has fielded former MP Kothaplalli Geetha, a BJP contestant against her.

Geetha won the seat in 2014 on YSRCP ticket and later floated her own outfit, which was merged with the BJP.

The CPI (M), as part of the INDIA alliance also fielded P Appala Narsa, who may potentially split the opposition votes.

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Araku’s coffee plantations, livelihoods

Perched at a height of 1000 m above sea level in the Eastern Ghats in Andhra Pradesh, Araku boasts of producing coffee beans with distinctive flavours.

The product has gained recognition both domestically and internationally.

The crop which was initially started as an experiment in early 2000, is now grown across 2.30 lakh acres in the valley. It produces more than 15,000 tons of the commodity annually.

Gemmili China Babu, sarpanch of Sunkarametta village in Araku region and a planter himself, said that the plantation was initially included under MGNREGA but later the Centre ceased extending wages under it.

Despite the state government sending proposals to the central government to reverse its earlier order, there has been no response.

As many as 2.15 lakh farmers, besides sellers and others from 10 mandals under Araku Lok Sabha segment depend on the coffee plantations.

China Babu said the plantations were raised in 2000 and picked up pace during former Chief Minister Rajasekhar Reddy’s regime.

The successive governments also encouraged it as the tribals started giving up Podu cultivation which is an ecological disaster.

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Pending dues of farmers

The Integrated Tribal Development Authority (ITDA) is supposed to provide farmers with a total of ₹18,800 per acre for three years from 2019 as an incentive.

“Despite several assurances by officials, from 2019 till date, a due amount of over ₹60 crore is to be paid. There are over 58,000 farmers who have to receive the amount,” he told PTI.

Though ITDA officials collected the account details of the farmers who are supposed to receive the amount, nothing has materialised so far.

V Abhishek, Project Officer of ITDA Paderu said it is not due, but the Centre has removed coffee plantation from the MGNREGA many years ago.

“Agricultural activities are covered under the MGNREGA. However, Coffee plantation comes under commercial crops and hence it was removed,” the official said.

Another official of ITDA said they already received ₹5.5 crore towards pending dues. However, they could not release it as the Model Code of Conduct is in place due to ongoing general elections.

Appala Narsa said that he will be highlighting the issue of pending dues from the government during his poll campaign.

The ITDA and the state government have been extending support to planters by way of providing free saplings and other equipment required for cultivation, some farmers said.

“The pending dues from the government is not a major issue,” an official earlier associated with ITDA said.

“The real issue is providing marketing opportunities to the farmers. They are forced to sell their commodity at lesser prices to middlemen and other businessmen,” he said.

Ram Kumar Varma, Founder and CEO of “Native Araku Coffee”, which has outlets at eight airports in India, said their blend is famous in several places.

“We are buying about 100 tonnes of coffee beans from Araku farmers. We have our own grinding and blending facility in Visakhapatnam,” he said, adding that their brand is also sold online.

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