Kelachandra Coffee bets on climate-resilient Liberica variety to tap speciality segment

Chikkamagaluru, Jan 18 (PTI) Kelachandra Coffee, a privately-held plantation company, is scaling up production of Liberica, a climate-resilient variety with high caffeine content, as demand rises in the speciality segment, according to a senior company official.

The privately held company, which operates 15 estates across 6,500 acres in Karnataka and Kerala, plans to plant 5,000 Liberica saplings annually across its properties as part of a diversification strategy, Ryana Kuruvilla, head of people and culture at Kelachandra, told PTI.

"Liberica coffee, recognised for its climate resilience, is gradually drawing interest within the domestic speciality segment," Kuruvilla said during a visit to the estate.

The company has already secured forward contracts for about 35 per cent of this year's total output, with interest from niche domestic roasters, she added.

Liberica, native to Liberia in West Africa, was introduced to India by the state-run Coffee Board in the 1970s to protect Arabica and Robusta plants from leaf rust, a fungal disease. The variety has mainly been grown along estate boundaries, but is gaining renewed attention as climate pressures mount.

First-phase plantings could yield up to 10 tonnes of processed coffee annually after a five-year maturation period, with volumes expected to rise as plants age, according to company projections.

Kelachandra currently has 500 mature Liberica plants and planted 10,000 saplings last year that have not yet reached the production stage. Another 10,000 are planned for this year.

The Liberica tree grows significantly taller than Arabica and Robusta, requiring ladders for harvest. While hardier and more disease-resistant, it produces lower yields than conventional varieties, a Coffee Board official said.

"Picking the cherries requires special skills, especially given India's terroir-based cultivation," Kuruvilla said.

"This phased approach permits us to assess the variety's adaptability, agronomic behaviour and processing suitability across multiple microclimates." Rohan Nachappa, manager at Kelachandra's Garigekhan estate, said the company is focusing on Excelsa, a Liberica sub-variety known for fruity flavour profiles, while standard Liberica offers chocolaty notes.

"Due to climate change and rising diseases in Arabica, Liberica and Excelsa varieties are varieties of the future," Nachappa said.

Liberica contains higher caffeine levels than both Arabica and Robusta, he added.

Export potential will depend on cup quality scores from international buyers, Kuruvilla said.

"We will see how it's doing domestically, and then, if we get good cupping scores, we can explore opportunities in the global market." Kelachandra produces over 2,000 tonnes of coffee annually, with a 70-30 split between Arabica and Robusta. The company supplies Indian speciality brands and international buyers on a business-to-business basis.

Small-scale growers are also experimenting with Liberica in limited quantities, industry sources said. PTI LUX BAL BAL