A meeting to discuss the long-pending demands of coffee growers has been called in Bengaluru on Mar. 6, said Mysuru-Kodagu Member of Parliament Pratap Simha. The meeting will be held with State BJP leaders to discuss the problems faced by coffee growers and attention of State and Union governments will be drawn, he said.

The MP was speaking to a delegation led by Kodagu Coffee Growers Federation President Ajjamada Shankaru Nachappa at his office at Jaladarshini Guest House recently. The coffee growers urged the MP to apprise the Union Government about the long-pending issues faced by the growers.

In 2015, the delegation had met the Union Commerce Minister, Finance Minister and Secretaries from the Ministries along with other Members of Parliament and had urged them to waive off the loans taken by coffee growers. The delegation had also urged them to announce packages to enable the growers to tide over the crisis. Despite this, no package was announced and the growers were not provided any relief, the delegation told the MP.

Listening to the delegation, Pratap Simha contacted Chikmagalur’s Karnataka Growers Federation (KGF) President Jayaram and initiated the meeting of all Coffee Growers’ Federations to discuss their problems under a single platform. It was decided that on March 6, the delegation will hold discussion with BJP State President B.S. Yeddyurappa and other State BJP leaders to exert pressure on the Centre to provide relief to the growers.

Kodagu Coffee Growers Federation Secretary Annira Harish Madappa, Treasurer Maanira  Vijay Nanjappa, Advisor Cheppudira Sherry Subbaiah and Director Kaibulira M. Harish were present.