Relief for big coffee planters in Karnataka, but small planters grapple with labour shortage

While harvesting requires manual labour, small planters are proposing mechanisation of processes like drying beans and irrigation, which will help reduce dependency on labourers.
| Photo Credit: File photo

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Karnataka’s big coffee planters, reeling under years of labour shortage, are enjoying a welcome respite this harvest season as migrant workers arrived in sufficient numbers to meet the demand even as coffee prices have hit a record high this year, offering a financial cushion to growers after years of challenges.

For the past five years, coffee plantations in Kodagu, Chikkamagaluru, and Hassan districts have grappled with a labour crisis during the crucial November-to-March harvest period. Planters heavily rely on migrant workers, primarily from Assam and West Bengal, with smaller contingents from Tamil Nadu, Kerala and north Karnataka. However, the COVID-19 pandemic, lockdowns, and state and general elections in those States disrupted the arrival of these workers, exacerbating the shortage.

“We’ve seen a good inflow of labourers from Assam and West Bengal, unlike in recent years,” said Kaibulira Harish Appaiah, former president of the Kodagu Growers’ Association and executive committee member of the Kodagu Planters’ Association.

“All the elections in these States are over. There is no pandemic. This has ensured that workers can travel to Karnataka without disruptions. Coupled with record-high coffee prices, growers are hopeful that this will help recover from the losses incurred over the last 15 years, and help them reinvest in their estates,” he added.

However, workers from Tamil Nadu and north Karnataka have dwindled, opting for construction jobs in urban areas, such as Bengaluru. “These sectors offer regular work and comparable wages, pulling workers away from coffee estates,” said Mr Appaiah.

Kiran Hegde, a planter from Sakleshpur in Hassan, said, “Coffee harvesting is physically demanding and requires precision, which is why we rely on trained workers. The return of migrant workers has brought some relief, but it’s been a tough few years for all of us. If these high prices sustain, it might just give us the breathing room we desperately need.”

Varun Raj, a coffee grower from Mudigere in Chikkamagaluru, said, “We’re finally seeing hope. With global prices rising and labourers returning, it feels like we’re catching a break. However, this is just the beginning — we need sustained efforts to address these challenges for the future. Again next year we don’t know whether the labourers will come and if the price of the coffee will be high.”

Struggle for small growers

While large coffee estates have sufficient labour, small growers are still struggling.

“It usually takes a month to harvest my five-acre plantation with adequate workers. This year, we’ve only managed to cover 30% so far. Despite the high prices, small growers like me cannot afford the increased wages being offered by the larger estates. If we don’t harvest soon, the overripe cherries will drop, causing significant losses,” said Ramesh Uthappa, a planter from Birunani village in Kodagu.

Labour-intensive harvesting requires skilled hands, as the delicate process involves picking ripe cherries without damaging the plant. Workers, often earning double their usual wages, are incentivised to make the long journey to Karnataka.

Planters urge support for coffee mechanisation

Coffee growers rued the lack of support from the State and Central governments as well as the Coffee Board.

M.T. Poovaiah, a coffee planter from South Kodagu, said, “Labour shortages have become a major challenge. Local labourers are no longer available, and we have to rely on workers from Kerala, who come here, work for the day, and return home. We bear their transportation costs and hefty labour charges, which result in significant losses. Around 80% of the profit we earn from coffee goes back into maintaining our estates throughout the year. This includes expenses for harvesting, fertilizers, irrigation, and other essential work.”

Small coffee planters are urging the government to support mechanisation and automation to address labour shortages.

Highlighting this need, Mr Poovaiah added, “To tackle labour shortage problems, mechanisation and automation must be adopted in coffee plantations, and the government, especially the Coffee Board, should assist us. While harvesting still requires manual labour, mechanisation can be applied to processes like drying beans and irrigation, which will help reduce dependency on workers in these areas.”