<p class="title">The Union Budget has disappointed coffee growers who were reeling under a crisis following untimely rain that hit the region. </p>.<p class="bodytext">The growers had been demanding loan waiver and a special package for the coffee industry to survive. </p>.<p class="bodytext">The vagaries of nature since 2018 have affected coffee, paddy and black pepper in the district.</p>.<p class="bodytext">District In-charge Minister V Somanna had promised to provide free electricity for coffee growers upto 10 hp pumpset. However, the promise has not been fulfilled so far, said grower Dharma Shetty. </p>.<p class="bodytext">The assistance on fertiliser has been removed, which is an injustice to the growers, he added. </p>.<p class="bodytext">Owing to borer disease, the area under coffee has been declining over the years.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Taluk Coffee Growers' Association president Mohan Bopanna urged the state and Central governments to come to the rescue of growers, at least in the coming days. </p>.<p class="bodytext">At the same time, the government has ordered the shifting of offices of coffee board extension officers in the district. </p>.<p class="bodytext">Coffee Board senior extension officer in Somwarpet, Muralidhar, said, "The government has not given any approval for new recruitment. To reduce the expenditure, it has asked to shift extension offices in hobli centres to the taluk Coffee Board office." </p>.<p class="bodytext">Coffee is cultivated on 28,590 hectares of land in Somwarpet taluk. Of this, Robusta coffee is cultivated on 5,690 hectares. </p>
<p class="title">The Union Budget has disappointed coffee growers who were reeling under a crisis following untimely rain that hit the region. </p>.<p class="bodytext">The growers had been demanding loan waiver and a special package for the coffee industry to survive. </p>.<p class="bodytext">The vagaries of nature since 2018 have affected coffee, paddy and black pepper in the district.</p>.<p class="bodytext">District In-charge Minister V Somanna had promised to provide free electricity for coffee growers upto 10 hp pumpset. However, the promise has not been fulfilled so far, said grower Dharma Shetty. </p>.<p class="bodytext">The assistance on fertiliser has been removed, which is an injustice to the growers, he added. </p>.<p class="bodytext">Owing to borer disease, the area under coffee has been declining over the years.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Taluk Coffee Growers' Association president Mohan Bopanna urged the state and Central governments to come to the rescue of growers, at least in the coming days. </p>.<p class="bodytext">At the same time, the government has ordered the shifting of offices of coffee board extension officers in the district. </p>.<p class="bodytext">Coffee Board senior extension officer in Somwarpet, Muralidhar, said, "The government has not given any approval for new recruitment. To reduce the expenditure, it has asked to shift extension offices in hobli centres to the taluk Coffee Board office." </p>.<p class="bodytext">Coffee is cultivated on 28,590 hectares of land in Somwarpet taluk. Of this, Robusta coffee is cultivated on 5,690 hectares. </p>