Koraput Coffee Finds National Spotlight With NITI Aayog’s Backing

Koraput Coffee Finds National Spotlight With NITI Aayog’s Backing

Bhubaneswar, June 8: NITI Aayog has given Koraput Coffee the much needed recognition it deserved at the national level. The premier policy making body has nhampioned it under its “Aakanksha” sub-program of the Vocal for Local initiative, recognizing its potential to enhance rural livelihoods, ecological balance, and tribal empowerment.

A tweet from NITI Aayog praised this “flavour born of the highlands, rooted in tradition and grown with pride” — a testament to their commitment to preserving indigenous heritage and environmentally-conscious agriculture.

The recognition by NITI Aayog increases visibility and demand for Koraput Coffee nationally and potentially internationally.

Positioned at elevations of approximately 3,000 feet in the Eastern Ghats, Koraput Coffee, a premium 100 per cent Arabica variety, is predominantly cultivated by tribal farmers. The cultivation dates back to the 1930s under Jeypore’s rule, with formal institutional support from 1958 onwards 

Currently, around 3,500 hectares are under cultivation involving approximately 4,300 tribal farmers, including 778 hectares of private plots. Looking ahead, officials aim to expand shade plantation by an additional 4,000 ha and introduce 800 ha of new cultivation by 2025–26. Moreover, local authorities have identified a whopping 146,000 ha of land suitable for coffee farming in the district — underscoring its colossal growth potential 

Koraput Collector Keerthi Vasan V expressed pride in the district’s achievement, revealin