Girijan Cooperative Corporation (GCC) Vice Chairman & Managing Director, G. Suresh Kumar IIS, has been honored with the prestigious 1st Prize at the One District One Product (ODOP) Awards 2023 for Araku Coffee. The award ceremony took place at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi, where Union External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal presented the accolade to MD G. Suresh Kumar on Wednesday.
Expressing deep gratitude to the officials of ODOP for this distinguished award, MD Suresh Kumar commended the relentless efforts of Girijan staff and acknowledged the unwavering support from the Tribal Coffee farmers of Araku & Chintapalli regions in Alluri District, Andhra Pradesh.
In a statement, MD Suresh Kumar shared, “We are immensely proud of our efforts at Girijan Cooperative Corporation in uplifting tribal coffee farmers. During the 2022-23 season, we procured 1000 tonnes of Arabica parchment and Arabica cherry coffee beans, disbursing Rs. 20.07 crores to our tribal partners in Araku and Chintapalli areas of ASR District.”
Highlighting the popularity of Araku Valley coffee products, sourced by GCC, both domestically and internationally, the Chairman mentioned the significant support received by special GCC Arabica Hot outlets in cities such as Visakhapatnam and Hyderabad, as well as various airports and railway stations, attracting tourists and consumers alike.
In a commitment to fair trade practices, GCC has established competitive market prices: Rs. 280 per kg for Arabica parchment coffee beans, Rs. 145 per kg for Arabica cherry coffee, and Rs. 70 per kg for Robusta cherry coffee. These remunerative prices aim to foster the economic development of tribal communities by eliminating the exploitation often associated with middlemen.
GCC has consistently achieved positive results in the collection and sale of coffee beans from tribals in recent years. In the 2022-23 coffee season, approximately 1000 tonnes of Arabica parchment and Arabica cherry coffee beans were purchased, with Rs. 20.07 crores disbursed to tribal coffee farmers. Additionally, GCC is actively supporting coffee farmers in obtaining organic certification, with 3900 farmers in the agency area already certified. GCC extends support to tribal farmers by providing loan assistance, offering competitive prices, and ensuring swift fund crediting within 24 hours, attracting significant interest from the tribal farming community.
In a strategic move for further growth, GCC is in the process of establishing an integrated coffee processing center in Daunur, Koyyuru mandal, with a substantial investment of Rs. 4 crore. This advanced facility will process coffee seeds collected from tribal farmers, contributing to the production of high-quality coffee powder. Extremely delighted on receiving the award, Suresh Kumar expressed confidence that the collaboration between Girijan and tribal coffee farmers in the Araku region will play a pivotal role in fostering economic development.
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