Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the Mann Ki Baat programme on Sunday, June 30. This was the first Mann Ki Baat after the victory in the recently concluded Lok Sabha elections. It is PM Narendra Modi’s platform to discuss crucial national issues with Indian citizens. In the 111th episode, PM Modi expressed his gratitude for reaffirming faith in India’s constitution and democracy, discussed the ‘EK Ped Maa Ke Naam’ campaign and highlighted ‘Hool Diwas’ in his address. During this, he also mentioned Araku coffee grown in Andhra Pradesh.
This is a special kind of coffee that garnered headlines during the G20 Summit last year. The Government of India also recently gave it the Geographical Indication( GI) tag. PM Modi tasted Araku coffee in Visakhapatnam along with Andhra Pradesh CM Chandrababu Naidu recently.
Araku coffee is named after the deep green Araku valley in Andhra Pradesh. It is a species of Arabica coffee which is originally indigenous to the forests of the southwestern highlands of Ethiopia. In India, it is cultivated mainly in the regions around Visakhapatnam and Koraput district of Odisha. These areas provide the necessary climate and altitude for coffee cultivation.
It is cultivated in the protected ecosystem of the valley which provides ideal conditions for coffee. The climate of Araku Valley is popular for its hot days and cool nights along with iron-rich soil which helps the coffee crop ripen slowly, hence giving the coffee an aromatic flavour. A good crop of Araku coffee requires a humidity of between 68 to 92 per cent along with an average rainfall of 1250 to 1500 mm.
At the G20 Summit held in India, leaders and guests were gifted Assam tea, red gold saffron and mangrove honey as well as Araku coffee. Araku Coffee has been given 90 out of 100 marks by independent, professional cuppers associated with the renowned Specialty Coffee Association. It is a major achievement for Indian coffee. The industrialist Anand Mahindra is the Chairman of the Araku Coffee Board.
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