Mysuru: CFTRI Shares Coffee Quality Best Practices

Last week the Central Food Technological Research Institute (CFTRI) in Mysuru opened its doors for a jam‑packed, one‑day awareness and training programme on coffee quality evaluation and value addition. The event, co‑hosted with the 7 Beans Group from Sakleshpur, gathered a colourful mix of coffee growers, budding entrepreneurs and a few curious officials.

When Giridhar Parvatam, director of CFTRI, took the stage he could barely hide his enthusiasm. "It’s heart‑warming to see so many hands on deck," he said, before reminding the audience that today’s coffee market rewards not just a good bean but also the story and the science behind it. He underscored that adding value—whether through roasting, blending or packaging—can make a real dent in farm‑gate prices.

Pradeep K. N., who heads the 7 Beans Group, took a more practical tack. He spoke about the need for disciplined field practices, from shade management to careful picking, and then nudged participants toward thinking about the next step: turning those beans into premium products that speak to today’s consumer palate. "If the consumer doesn’t like it, none of our efforts matter," he warned, with a half‑smile that seemed to say he’d seen too many good beans go to waste.

The discussion turned a little more personal when Dharmaraj H. S., chairman of the same group, recalled his own experiments with natural farming. He urged growers to blend age‑old wisdom—like companion planting and mulching—with the latest scientific recommendations. "It’s not an either‑or," he said, "it’s about weaving the old with the new to make coffee farming both sustainable and profitable."

From the CFTRI side, scientist A. A. Inamdar, who leads technology transfer, walked the crowd through a handful of home‑grown innovations: low‑cost moisture meters, simple grading charts and even a modest mobile app that helps farmers log post‑harvest steps. He emphasized that these tools are meant to be easy to adopt, not to replace the farmer’s intuition.

The day closed with a lively Q&A, where participants peppered the speakers with queries ranging from “How do I get certified organic?” to “Can I sell directly to cafés online?” The consensus was clear—knowledge is only as good as its application, and the real work begins back in the fields.

Organisers hope that the seeds sown during this workshop will sprout into stronger supply chains, higher‑grade beans and, ultimately, better livelihoods for Karnataka’s coffee families.