The Centre has proposed to obtain Geographical Indicator certificate for the 'monsooned malabar' coffee variety. The certification will benefit growers as any coffee produced outside the Indian Malabar region cannot be branded as 'monsooned malabar' coffee. | |
| "We want 'monsooned malabar' coffee to become a brand just like the Darjeeling tea. The aim is to promote and protect this rare variety of coffee," Union minister of state for commerce Jairam Ramesh told reporters here after a meeting with the Indian Coffee Board officials. |
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| He said the Centre has lined up several initiatives to promote coffee. An international coffee festival will be held in Bangalore from February 23-25, 2007 to popularise Indian coffee in Italy, Russia, Japan, Germany and West Asia. |
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| Similarly, there are plans to increase domestic coffee consumption. "The Brazilian coffee expert Carlos Brando is expected to submit his report on increasing domestic coffee consumption by June end. We plan to increase the domestic consumption from 80,000 tonnes per year to 1.60 lakh tonnes by the next 10 years," Ramesh added. |
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| Tamil Nadu alone accounts for nearly 70 per cent of the domestic consumption. |
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