Badnekhan estate bags coffee honours in Switzerland

Arabica coffees grown in Badnekhan estate of Chikmagalur have been selected as India's finest Arabica coffee at the 'Flavour of India "" fine cup competition 2006' held at Berne, Switzerland.

The estate, located at an altitude of about 4,000 feet in Basrikattee village of Koppa taluk in Chikmagalur district bagged the honour at the final cupping session organised by the Coffee Board And coincided with the World of Coffee Conference and exhibition and seventh World Barista Championships held on May 17.

Among the robusta coffees, the parchment AB sample from Choudicadoo estate belonging to Bombay Burma Trading Company (BBTC) won the finest Indian robusta for the year award.

The finest among the speciality coffee category was bagged by Monsooned Malabaar-AA sample from Aspinwall and company, Mangalore.

Among the small grower category, a group of tribal coffee growers from Vasuvada village, Chintapalli taluk, Visakhapatnam district in Andhra Pradesh won the honours.

The self-help group called Grama Devatha Mahila Sangam, comprising 110 tribal households cultivate arabica coffees on about 350 acres. Ever since the competition was launched in 2002, the Coffee Board has been trying many innovations for the success of the competition.

"One such step was to conduct the final cupping session in some strategic countries keeping in mind the speciality coffee market. The main objective was to provide wide publicity for the competition and the winners to sell their coffee in key markets," said a senior Coffee Board official.

At this years competition 40 coffee samples from different categories were put up for the cup quality evaluation by the global jury.

Other award winners in different categories are: Best among Mysore Nuggets "" estate - Tata Coffee Valparai estate (region "" Anamalais), Best among robusta kaapi "" Harley estate (Manjarabad), Best among organic coffee "" Mudis estate, (Anamalais).

Special category awards: special award for small holders "" Vasuvada estate (Araku valley, Andhra Pradesh), special award for Arabica cherry "" Kradibeta estate, (Manjarabad), special award for pulped sun-dried arabica "" jumboor Tata Coffee Estate (Coorg), special award for pulped sun-dried robusta "" Tata Coffee Valparai estate (region "" Anamalais), special award for organic robusta Thuttumpara estate, (Travancore).

Best coffees from growing regions Arabica: Bababudangiris "" Yelnoorkhan estate, Chikmagalur "" Badnekhan estate, Coorg "" Cannancadoo Tata Coffee estate, Travancore "" Pampadumpara estate, Sheveroys "" Cauvery Peak estate, Araku Valley "" Vasuvada estate, Biligiris "" Attikhan estate.

Best coffees from growing regions robusta: Manjarabad "" Harley estate, Chikmagalur "" Netrakal estate, Coorg "" BBTC Choudikadu estate, Anamalais "" Manamboli estate and Wayanad "" Kusumam estate.