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Producers and suppliers of robusta coffee beans
Hadlukodigge Farms is mixed crop plantation in 10 acres with coffee grown in 4.5acres, 2-3acres occupied with arecanut plantation having banana and pepper as intercrops. 2-3acres has forest trees. The farm is located at Harandur village, Chikkamagalur district, Karnataka. It is an ancestral property owned and managed by Mr. Manohar Rao H.
Mr. Manohar Rao H
Robust coffee is cultivated in the farm. Plants are grown maintaining the distance of 9 * 9. The saplings are prepared in-house. Approximately life span of coffee may be 40-50years. “We will not allow coffee plant to grow more than 5.5ft because later to which it is difficult to harvest,” he states. “We have to trim the coffee plant after the harvest for male and female branches. Flowers grow on female branches therefore male branches are cut off once in 2-3 months to provide strength to the plant. The male branches are indentified observing the direction and location on the plant. We have to ensure the plant gets branches all over then only the coffee plant is said to have the perfect balance that favours fruiting.” A healthy coffee plant has branches full of small leaves. The flower pod must be close to one another and when it turns into fruits the number is more than 30.
Usually Robusta coffee is less prone to pest attack when compared with the Arabica coffee. Only when it rains more the plant gets affected with a fungal disease called as koleroga. “This disease even spreads to arecanut hence we spray bordeaux (copper sulphate and lime). We spray 2-3 times in every rainy season. We put urea near the roots of plants when there is no rain for 4-5days during monsoon. It is done as the previous rain increases the moisture content in the soil that helps the plants to absorb the urea faster. We use less than 100 gram for each plant,” he explains.
Coffee is harvested in January-February in 2-3 rounds. “We pluck the coffee fruits before it gets fully ripened. “To enhance flowering process, “Using sprinkler, we give water for 13 days. Approximately, plant starts flowering from 9-10th day. In case it rains at this time, all the plants blossoms at the same time. We regulate the flowering batch by batch. We cannot say that all the plants will blossom simultaneously. All coffee beans will not be same. Each plant may have different size beans,” Mr. Rao shares.
“We do not grow Arabica because it is not suitable for our climate and environment. Arabica is grown well at 2200 meter above the sea level. It needs high altitude. It requires rainfall at suitable time but not heavy rain. It needs rain in March and April and in rainy season it does require heavy rain fall,” he clarifies.
“Initially our farm was certified organic farm but the yield was not enough hence due to the situational force we started using the fertilizers. However we are strictly not using any insecticides or pesticides,” informs Mr. Rao. The coffee beans harvested are absolutely residue free. “The switch to use of DAP, Potash, rock phosphate and, urea had turned the soil dry. Earlier the moisture always remained intact in the soil hence no stringent schedule for irrigation was followed but now the plants need to be watered on time else the stems become dry and broke off.”
Speaking on using mulching in the estate, Mr. Rao says, “We have done mulching for arecanut but not for coffee as it should have clean ground. Mulching should not be done for coffee because if water is logged, the plant gets spoilt.”
Estate also has silver oak trees and pepper vines. Silver oak is grown in alternate rows with coffee.
“Coffee needs silver oak for shading. Pepper vines are supported by silver oaks. Silver oak is harvested once 7-8 years,” he elaborates.
Coffee is sold to the agents as well as direct buyers. “There are few people who buy coffee from us regularly and pay us promptly. We both are loyal to each other in all aspects. With agents as well we have amicable relations. However, they take a sample to check for bean size, residue content and moisture. It is cash sales of coffee with agents who re-sell it in Chikmagalur and Sakaleshpur,” he says and adds, “We earn approximately Rs. 50-60 thousand from 50-60 plants. After we harvest, we sow new saplings. It is graded as A,B,C depending on girth.” The price is decided slightly more than the market price. When asked on selling coffee beans to Cafe Coffee Day or other brands, Mr. Rao responds, “These places are worth approaching with bulk sale. It will not be profitable with small quantity!” Pepper is harvested immediately after coffee that is from February-March. It is also sold through the agents like coffee beans.
In time to come Mr. Rao plans to shift his farming attention from coffee to pepper. “Immediate plans are to improve pepper cultivation. I also want to diversify farming to grow vegetables in poly house as it has good demand in the market. And I want to start vermicompost unit,” he reveals.
Prior to joining farming business Mr. Rao worked in Bangalore for couple of years but took up farming to manage the ancestral property and stay tuned with his agricultural roots. “We are satisfied with farming. The more you invest your time and energy in the farm the better returns you get,” he signs off.
Contact details:
Hadlukodigge Farms
Mr. Manohar Rao H, S/o Muralidhara Rao, Hadlukudige, Harandur Village, Koppa Post and Taluk, Chikkamagalur District – 577 126, Karnataka
Mobile: 8277235260/ 9964480970
Email: m.rao7606@gmail.com
Hadlukodigge Farms is mixed crop plantation in 10 acres with coffee grown in 4.5acres, 2-3acres occupied with arecanut plantation having banana and pepper as intercrops. 2-3acres has forest trees. The farm is located at Harandur village, Chikkamagalur district, Karnataka. It is an ancestral property owned and managed by Mr. Manohar Rao H.
Mr. Manohar Rao H
Robust coffee is cultivated in the farm. Plants are grown maintaining the distance of 9 * 9. The saplings are prepared in-house. Approximately life span of coffee may be 40-50years. “We will not allow coffee plant to grow more than 5.5ft because later to which it is difficult to harvest,” he states. “We have to trim the coffee plant after the harvest for male and female branches. Flowers grow on female branches therefore male branches are cut off once in 2-3 months to provide strength to the plant. The male branches are indentified observing the direction and location on the plant. We have to ensure the plant gets branches all over then only the coffee plant is said to have the perfect balance that favours fruiting.” A healthy coffee plant has branches full of small leaves. The flower pod must be close to one another and when it turns into fruits the number is more than 30.
Usually Robusta coffee is less prone to pest attack when compared with the Arabica coffee. Only when it rains more the plant gets affected with a fungal disease called as koleroga. “This disease even spreads to arecanut hence we spray bordeaux (copper sulphate and lime). We spray 2-3 times in every rainy season. We put urea near the roots of plants when there is no rain for 4-5days during monsoon. It is done as the previous rain increases the moisture content in the soil that helps the plants to absorb the urea faster. We use less than 100 gram for each plant,” he explains.
Coffee is harvested in January-February in 2-3 rounds. “We pluck the coffee fruits before it gets fully ripened. “To enhance flowering process, “Using sprinkler, we give water for 13 days. Approximately, plant starts flowering from 9-10th day. In case it rains at this time, all the plants blossoms at the same time. We regulate the flowering batch by batch. We cannot say that all the plants will blossom simultaneously. All coffee beans will not be same. Each plant may have different size beans,” Mr. Rao shares.
“We do not grow Arabica because it is not suitable for our climate and environment. Arabica is grown well at 2200 meter above the sea level. It needs high altitude. It requires rainfall at suitable time but not heavy rain. It needs rain in March and April and in rainy season it does require heavy rain fall,” he clarifies.
“Initially our farm was certified organic farm but the yield was not enough hence due to the situational force we started using the fertilizers. However we are strictly not using any insecticides or pesticides,” informs Mr. Rao. The coffee beans harvested are absolutely residue free. “The switch to use of DAP, Potash, rock phosphate and, urea had turned the soil dry. Earlier the moisture always remained intact in the soil hence no stringent schedule for irrigation was followed but now the plants need to be watered on time else the stems become dry and broke off.”
Speaking on using mulching in the estate, Mr. Rao says, “We have done mulching for arecanut but not for coffee as it should have clean ground. Mulching should not be done for coffee because if water is logged, the plant gets spoilt.”
Estate also has silver oak trees and pepper vines. Silver oak is grown in alternate rows with coffee.
“Coffee needs silver oak for shading. Pepper vines are supported by silver oaks. Silver oak is harvested once 7-8 years,” he elaborates.
Coffee is sold to the agents as well as direct buyers. “There are few people who buy coffee from us regularly and pay us promptly. We both are loyal to each other in all aspects. With agents as well we have amicable relations. However, they take a sample to check for bean size, residue content and moisture. It is cash sales of coffee with agents who re-sell it in Chikmagalur and Sakaleshpur,” he says and adds, “We earn approximately Rs. 50-60 thousand from 50-60 plants. After we harvest, we sow new saplings. It is graded as A,B,C depending on girth.” The price is decided slightly more than the market price. When asked on selling coffee beans to Cafe Coffee Day or other brands, Mr. Rao responds, “These places are worth approaching with bulk sale. It will not be profitable with small quantity!” Pepper is harvested immediately after coffee that is from February-March. It is also sold through the agents like coffee beans.
In time to come Mr. Rao plans to shift his farming attention from coffee to pepper. “Immediate plans are to improve pepper cultivation. I also want to diversify farming to grow vegetables in poly house as it has good demand in the market. And I want to start vermicompost unit,” he reveals.
Prior to joining farming business Mr. Rao worked in Bangalore for couple of years but took up farming to manage the ancestral property and stay tuned with his agricultural roots. “We are satisfied with farming. The more you invest your time and energy in the farm the better returns you get,” he signs off.
Contact details:
Hadlukodigge Farms
Mr. Manohar Rao H, S/o Muralidhara Rao, Hadlukudige, Harandur Village, Koppa Post and Taluk, Chikkamagalur District – 577 126, Karnataka
Mobile: 8277235260/ 9964480970
Email: m.rao7606@gmail.com