Coffee Planters in Karnataka Face Heavy Losses as Untimely Rains Wash Away Harvest
Heavy rainfall struck parts of Chikkamagaluru and Hassan districts this week. The untimely rain left coffee planters in a difficult situation. Many planters saw their hard work washed away in just a few hours.
Widespread Damage Across Malnad Region
The rain lashed several taluks in the Malnad region. Koppa, Sringeri, Mudigere, Kalasa, Chikkamagaluru, Sakleshpura, Alur, and Belur all experienced heavy downpours. Coffee beans that had been placed in drying yards after harvest were swept away by the water.
Planter KC Mahesh from Kalmane in Mudigere taluk reported losing more than fifteen bags of coffee beans. Workers managed to recover six bags, but several others were completely lost. This sudden weather event has created serious problems for the local farming community.
Threats to Coffee Quality and Future Seasons
The coffee harvest season is currently in full swing. Both Arabica and Robusta varieties are being collected. Many estate owners now fear poor-quality coffee this season and next. Halse Shivanna, president of the Karnataka Growers' Federation, explained the challenges.
Heavy rain causes ripe coffee cherries to absorb water rapidly. This can make them split open or fall to the ground. Once on the ground, they begin fermenting. The sweet mucilage seeps out from split cherries, resulting in lower-quality beans.
These beans receive worse cup scores, which drastically reduces the price farmers can get for their crop. High moisture levels also increase the risk of disease. Coffee plantations become ideal environments for diseases like borer disease and pests to thrive. This further damages plants and future yields.
Personal Accounts of Loss and Concern
Spoorthi Gowda, another planter from Mudigere, described the significant damage to the coffee crop. A year's worth of effort was ruined in a single day's rain, she said. This situation has caused considerable trouble for planters and will greatly impact next year's crop as well.
Spoorthi noted that seventy-five percent of the coffee cherries remained unharvested when the rains hit. Since coffee is our main crop, such a situation is a major problem for the farmers, she added. The community now faces logistical challenges and financial uncertainty.
The untimely rainfall has created a cascade of problems for Karnataka's coffee growers. From immediate losses of harvested beans to long-term threats to crop quality and plant health, planters must navigate difficult circumstances. Their resilience will be tested as they work to recover from this natural setback.
