ITANAGAR, Feb 27: A Coffee Growers Meet 2026, organized by the Arunachal Pradesh Coffee Growers Federation under the aegis of the Coffee Board of India, was held at Sengri village under Doimukh circle in Papum Pare district today, with the launch of coffee nursery by a local grower marking the event.
The meet was attended by the top officials of the Coffee Board of India, including M J Dinesh (Chairman), Kurma Rao (CEO & Secretary), M Senthil Kumar (Director Research), P P Choudhury (Jt Director - Extension), and Shiv Kumar Swamy (Jt Director - P&C), among others.
Coffee growers from several districts of the State, including Kamle, Upper Subansiri, West Siang, Leparada, Papum Pare, Lower Siang, Keyi Panyor, and Tirap, actively participated in the meet. Besides the members from the Faculty of Agriculture (Rajiv Gandhi University), functionaries of the State Kisan Morcha also participated in the event.
A significant highlight of the event was the inauguration of a coffee nursery raised by NabamYadap, which was formally inaugurated by the Chairman and CEO of the Coffee Board of India.
In his address, Chairman Dinesh emphasized that the coffee value chain is expanding beyond traditional growing regions into newer areas, including the Northeastern region. He assured proactive support from the Coffee Board and expressed optimism that coffee production from the North East would significantly contribute to India’s overall coffee output.
He opined that there are a lot of scopes for youths to gainfully engage in the coffee sector. All farmers can be benefitted and the Coffee Board will provide needed support.
CEO Rao, in his speech, commended the efforts of the growers in Arunachal Pradesh. He informed that the Coffee Board would meet the Chief Minister and other State dignitaries to present a vision document aimed at strengthening the coffee value chain in Arunachal, ensuring holistic welfare of the growers.
Citing that the Coffee sector is contributing to the economy and supporting employment opportunities, he viewed that Arunachal having huge scope in the sector can contribute to Viksit Arunachal in particular and the country in general.
Earlier, in his welcome address, Gomar Basar, Coordinator of the Coffee Growers Meet, stated that under the initiatives of the Coffee Board, many growers in the State have taken up coffee cultivation over the years. However, the progress of coffee cultivation in the State has been relatively slow compared to other States due to the absence of a dedicated coffee development programme from the State government.
Furthermore, the lack of a common platform for growers and State functionaries to share opportunities and challenges, and to collectively pursue the cause of coffee development with various stakeholders, has been a significant constraint, he said.
The meet was therefore organized to facilitate dialogue, idea-sharing, and direct interaction between growers and Coffee Board officials, Basar added.
The meet concluded with the adoption of a resolution to establish district-level platforms for better coordination, strengthen the Federation at the State level, promote best practices in coffee cultivation, and enhance engagement within the broader coffee community.
Moreover, practical demonstrations on plantation practices and nursery-raising techniques were also conducted as part of the programme, making the meet both interactive and knowledge-driven.