The fifth edition of the World Coffee Congress will be held in Bengaluru from September 7 to 9. For the first time, the event is being held in India, said U.M. Thirthamallesh, president of Karnataka Growers’ Federation, on Monday.
At a press conference, Mr. Thirthamallesh said the event has been held in London, Brazil, Guatemala, and Ethiopia, and attracts coffee growers from 100 countries. More than one lakh growers will be taking part in the three-day event. India Coffee Trust will be organising the programme in association with Ministry of Commerce and other agencies, he said.
Mr. Thirthamallesh felt the event would be an opportunity for local growers to showcase their coffee. “The theme of the event is ‘sustainability through consumption’. One of the main objectives is to promote the consumption of coffee,” he said.
A study conducted in 2016 showed that the production of coffee would come down drastically in the coming years. In order to prepare the coffee community for the future, the KGF will take up activities to promote multi-cropping with regular income, said Mr. Thirthamallesh. Madhu Bopanna, a trustee of India Coffee Trust, said as part of the event, a convention of local growers would be held on the last day. This would help small growers who form 98% of the total growers in the country.
Karuna Kiran, president of Women’s Coffee Promotion Council, T.C.Anantasubbarao, president of Hassan District Planters’ Association, Muralidhar Bakkaravalli, secretary of KGF and others were present at the press conference.
