Chhattisgarh: Farmers in Bastar carve out new identity by planting coffee

Farmers in the Bastar region are establishing a new identity by cultivating coffee in pockets that have seen Maoist violence in the past while the Chhattisgarh government is working on a plan to showcase the product with international brands.

Coffee cultivation in Bastar, which started in 2017 on an experimental basis in 20 acres by the horticulture department, has reached the farmers’ fields.

Following the success, the department is training farmers and self-help groups of women in coffee planting and processing, to marketing.

Under the first project, started in 2021, 100 acres is being cultivated by a group of 34