Gunjung coffee growers appeal to government, agencies for assistance

A CORRESPONDENT

HAFLONG: Coffee growers of Gujung in particular and of Dima Hasao in general appealed to the government agencies involved in coffee plantation and development for assistance to continue their age-old practice of coffee cultivation.

For settlement of Jhumias in the hill districts of Assam, coffee and rubber plantations had been established extensively in the earlier days by the Soil Conservation Department. However, after the formation of Assam Plantation Crops Development Corporation, Soil Conservation Department has scaled down its activity in this field. Another agency named Coffee Board is also here at Haflong since the 1980s but the condition of the growers is not encouraging.

Yapi Haji, Senior Liaison Officer, admitted that coffee production in Dima Hasao is significant and the quality is also praiseworthy. She explained how the Coffee Board has been working for the development of coffee in the district.

After a few years, Assam Plantation Crops Development Corporation also disappeared for reasons best known to it, following which the condition of growers deteriorated as they were not provided with assistance.

Soumyajit Roy, founder of Project Sankalp 90+ Indian Coffee, PVP, Tamil Nadu, while talking to this correspondent, said, "We are currently working with farmers from Garo Hills of Meghalaya and Kodaikanal area of Tamil Nadu, known as Lower Palani Hills. About Dima Hasao coffee I am gathering information and visited six different villages in the region in the last two days. This coffee holds immense promise without doubt."

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