'Coffees of Nagaland' is truly a Whole of India approach bringing all stakeholders together: Scindia
New Delhi, May 18
Union Minister for Development of North Eastern Region Jyotiraditya Scindia on Monday launched the Cluster-based Coffee Value Chain Development Mission for Nagaland, saying the initiative represents "not merely a Whole of Government approach, but truly a Whole of India approach" that brings together governments, ministries, farmers, entrepreneurs, processors, branding experts, exporters and market leaders on a common platform.
The mission, titled "Coffees of Nagaland", has been launched with an outlay of Rs 175 crore and aims to transform Nagaland into a premium, traceable single-origin coffee economy with strong domestic and global market presence.
Scindia said the mission has been conceptualised under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision of ensuring that farmers become active stakeholders across the agricultural value chain rather than remaining limited to raw production.
The initiative has adopted a cluster-based model, with two pilot clusters identified at Tuophema village in Kohima district for Arabica coffee cultivation and Ghotovi village in Niuland district for Robusta coffee.
According to the minister, the mission seeks to address gaps across the entire coffee value chain by integrating plantation development, post-harvest processing, branding, marketing, export promotion, tourism, traceability and capacity building.
Scindia said the government envisions creating a strong "Brand North East" through "Coffees of Nagaland", supported by media campaigns, participation in trade fairs and experiential coffee tourism initiatives.
He added that the project will also encourage coffee farm-stays and farm-to-cup tourism experiences in the pilot clusters, helping position Nagaland as a niche destination for specialty coffee tourism.
"The real success of the mission will be when Coffees of Nagaland secure premium shelf space in domestic and international markets while ensuring higher and sustainable incomes for coffee-growing communities," the minister said.
Minister of State Sukanta Majumdar said the programme's focus on organic certification, GI tagging and digital traceability would help boost farmer incomes and improve access to premium international markets.
— IANS
Reader Comments
Very encouraging to see the 'Whole of India' approach in action. Northeast states have unique products but often lack market linkages. Bringing branding experts, exporters, and even tourism into the same mission is smart. Hope they also focus on training local youth as baristas and roasters—that creates jobs right there in Nagaland. Farm-stays with Nagaland coffee sounds like a dream holiday! 🌱
As someone who loves specialty coffee, I'm genuinely excited about this. Indian coffee is underrated globally, and Nagaland's high-altitude Arabica could compete with the best. The traceability piece is key—buyers today want to know exactly where their beans come from. Organic certification and digital traceability will open doors in Europe and Japan. Let's hope the execution matches the ambition. ☕👏
Good initiative, but I hope they don't forget the small farmers in the process. Large missions often end up benefiting big players more. The minister mentioned "active stakeholders across the value chain" — that should mean fair prices for the growers right from day one. Also, please ensure proper irrigation and road connectivity to these pilot clusters. Without basic infrastructure, even the best coffee won't reach markets on time. 🤞
This is a brilliant example of leveraging regional specialties for national growth. The farm-to-cup tourism angle is especially clever—it's not just about selling beans, but about selling the entire experience of Nagaland's culture and landscapes. If they get the branding right (think 'Blue Mountain' but Indian), this could become a premium export. Would love to visit Tuophema village and see the Arabica clusters! 🏔️☕
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