Monsoon Coffee Chemical Threats
From Baba-ud-din to Chemicalised Coffee
Whither Indian Coffee Production?
India played a key role in breaking the Mocha coffee monopoly. In 1670 Baba-ud-din an Indian Muslim pilgrim smuggled seven viable coffee seeds out of Mecca and planted them in the mountains near Mysore. When the British arrived they systematically developed coffee in large areas of the the Western Ghats using the indigenous forest as shade. Up till the 1940’s Indian coffees were known regionally and even at the estate level and their quality was widely acknowledge on the world market.
An example is the well known monsoon coffee that is targeted for the Scandinavian market. With the introduction of the Coffee Board pooling system in the 1940's there began a steady decline in accent on quality. Export and quantity became the order of the day.
From the 1960's chemical amendments became widespread and along with it epidemic pest problems. Indian coffee growing today stands at a crossroads-a choice between quantity over quality and chemicals versus a more eco-friendly, sustainable production that will ensure a pollution free watershed.
There is a prevailing myth that organically grown coffee means compromise on yield. elephant valley coffee endeavours to dispel this myth and in the process offer to India and the world a top class specialty coffee that can compete with the best in the international market. With its unique Jaivik cultivation practices elephant valley aims to evolve a self-sustainable solution to the present malaise in the coffee industry.
Elephant valley Jungle blend will soon be on the market-cured, roasted and packed in the plantation with an accent on excellence in all stages of the coffee production process .
