By George Testani and Ramaiah Surprising? Not to those in the industry who know beans about their coffee. Close to 300,000 tons of it (and rising steadily) are produced annually. In fact, the cultivation of coffee in India dates back to 1600 A.D. when a holy man from India (Baba Budan) brought six coffee seeds from Yemen and planted them. Although India is primarily associated with tea, high quality estate coffee production had been neglected for the most part--until recently. Riding the wave of this recent explosion from India is a company called Plantation Direct Associates(PDA). Owners of 400 acres for the past 30 years, this large family-owned plantation is committed to informing the world about Indian coffee. The plantations are at elevations of between 4,000 - 5,400 feet located on the windward side of the Western Ghats in the Chickmagalur District within the Bababudangiri ranges. The high altitude has a profoundly positive effect on the quality of the coffees. However, it also presents many difficulties for the farmers and skilled laborers. Yields of coffee per acre are significantly less than those from plantations at lower altitudes. Picking of the cherries on these slopes is much more difficult as well as the transport of these cherries to the curer. The soils are acidic in nature and lateric in origin.

They are also rich in nitrogen and potassium; moderate in phosphorus; and adequate in iron, manganese, copper and molybdenum. They have also been supplied regularly with calcium, magnesium, sulphur and zinc.

With respect to climate, the estate has an ideal annual rainfall of 90-100 inches (well distributed from April through November) and a dry spell from December to March/April which helps in processing and in natural sun drying of the Arabica coffee. The coffee is grown in the shade of trees such as Dalbergia (Rosewood), Ficus, Silver Oak, Jack and Albizzia.

The plantation owners are interested in not only the sustainability of the land and coffee, but also that of the estate laborers. To this end, they provide the workers with clothing, housing, training, medical and other amenities as well as education for the children. These provisions for both laborers and children are rare in that many countries have not yet fully embraced them.

Commercial Arabica A, B and PB are available from lower-elevation plantations as well as Monsooned Malabar and washed Robusta, whose production faces future problems as a result   of the Vietnamese crop and London markets' pushing its price to an eight-year low.
Farmers are amazed that high-quality, high-altitude, shade-grown coffee does not yet command the higher prices other nations enjoy. Those offering the best coffee will find their place in the Specialty Market as other farmers continue to elevate the quality of their own coffee for greater sustainability as well.

India Arabica coffees (grouped with "other milds" in the International Coffee Market) are bestowed with wonderful aroma, slightly acid body, smooth taste and medium-to-full body without any harshness.