Sonia, Priyanka hear coffee farmers' woes in Wayanad

Wayanad (Kerala), Sep 19 (PTI) Senior Congress leader Sonia Gandhi and her daughter, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra MP, met with coffee growers in this hill district of Kerala on Friday to listen first-hand to the challenges plaguing the industry, party sources said here.

The visit to the Regional Coffee Research Station in Chundale was aimed at understanding the crises faced by local farmers, who have been struggling with climate change, rising production costs and other issues, they said.

The two MPs were given a tour of the research facility.

They were welcomed by the station's Joint Director, Dr M Karuthamani, and Deputy Directors Dr Rudragowda and Basavaraj Chulaki.

Sonia, a Rajya Sabha MP, arrived here along with her son and Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, on Friday, while Vadra, who is the MP from the Wayanad constituency in the Lok Sabha, has been touring the region for some time. PTI TGB KH