In a welcome relief for the thousands of small and unorganised coffee growers in South India, who continue to remain at the receiving end of governmental policies and plummeting prices, the Trieste-based Italian coffee roaster Illycafe will soonopen floating cooperatives of small and medium-scale growers of quality coffee in the region.

Talking to the Express here after attending a series of business meetings and consultations, Illycafe Chairman and CEO Dr Andrea Illy expressed hope that such an effort would help the small growers to come under one roof and get a better price for their products. The Italian coffee giant, manufacturers of world famous Espresso branded coffee, will procure coffee beans directly from small farmers in the cooperatives.

This effort to keep away middlemen will ensure that local farmers get prices in the global market. According to I lly, the company now procures coffee beans directly from farmers in cooperatives in Brazil, Guatemala and Coloumbia. The coffee-growing sector in South India is extremely diverse and dispersed over vast and difficult terrians in Karnataka, Kerala and TN. -A lot of things require to be done to uplift the condition of small growers. We wish to introduce better farming practices and quality control measures through the local cooperatives. The company's University of Coffee will play a lead role, " Illy said.

Small cultivators in Hassan, Chikmagalur and Coorg districts, Wayanad in Kerala, Walpara in Coimbatore and Gudalur in Nilgiris in Tamil Nadu will be benefited.

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