A good cup of coffee can do wonders. Whether you had a bad day, or a good one, whether you are waiting for your date or crying over your ex, coffee is the ultimate go-to drink that eases you with its very first sip. It is perhaps the most loved hot beverage in the world.
Clinical research indicates that moderate coffee consumption is benign or mildly beneficial as a stimulant in healthy adults. There have been several other studies that claim that coffee is good for the heart, prevents Alzheimer’s, and breaks down glucose better.
The earliest credible evidence of coffee-drinking has been traced in modern-day Yemen in southern Arabia in the middle of the 15th century in Sufi shrines where coffee seeds were first roasted and brewed in a manner similar to how it is now prepared for drinking. The Yemenis procured coffee beans from the Ethiopian Highlands via coastal Somali intermediaries and began cultivation. And by the 16th century, the drink had reached the rest of the Middle East and North Africa, later spreading to Europe.
Coffee plantation in India started with an Indian Muslim saint, Baba Budan, who, while returning from a pilgrimage to Mecca, smuggled seven coffee beans (by hiding them in his beard) from Yemen to Mysore in India. He planted them on the Chandra Drona Giri in the Chikkamagaluru district.
So far, Indian Coffee cultivation has been dominated by South India with Karnataka being the largest producer followed by the new areas developed in North East. About 80% of Indian coffee is exported through the Suez Canal to Russia, Spain, Netherlands, and France.
Here are the thirteen Indian states that bring us the heavenly sip.
1. Karnataka
Karnataka is the largest coffee-producing state in the country, accounting for nearly 71% of the gross yield. Chikmagalur, Kodagu, and Hassan districts of Karnataka are major coffee producing regions in the state.
2. Kerala
The Malabar region of Kerala produces Arabica and Robusta coffee beans. Kerala accounts for 21% of coffee production in India, around the hills of Wayanad district near Kalpetta.
3. Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu accounts for 5% of overall coffee production in India that are grown in Nilgiris District, Yercaud, and Kodaikanal. Shevaroy Hills in the Eastern Ghats have several old coffee plantations of the state.
4. Andhra Pradesh
Araku Valley Hill station near Visakhapatnam district is the coffee plantation hub in Andhra Pradesh.
5. Odisha
Keonjhar district of Odisha offers the ideal climate conditions for coffee plantations. Besides that Koraput, Rayagada, and Kalahandi are few other popular coffee plantation areas in Odisha.
6. Tripura
Tripura is one of the largest producers of coffee in North East India along with rubber and tea gardens.
7. Nagaland
Nagaland is the second-largest coffee-producing state in the North East and a favorable land for coffee farming in India.
8. Assam
Assam is best known for tea gardens but there are few places in the state where coffee is grown as well. Monsoon touching places of Assam are ideal places for monsoon varieties of coffee.
9. Meghalaya
The rollicking hills and cascading waterfalls of Meghalaya are the best coffee plantation regions. East Khasi Hills is dotted with coffee plants and account for a serious business in Meghalaya.
10. Mizoram
Mid hill ranges of Mizoram are the best place for coffee plantations.
11. Manipur
Districts of Manipur are now taking drives for coffee plantations. The geography of Manipur is best suited for coffee beans including both Arabica and Robusta.
12. Arunachal Pradesh
Namsang Tehsil of Tirap district in Arunachal Pradesh is a small village where coffee plantations take place. As per reports, it has a small population of 99 peoples with about 26 houses only in the area.
13. Chikhaldara – Maharashtra
Chikhaldara hill station of Maharashtra is the only coffee-growing area in Maharashtra. If you are fond of adventure and camping, Chikhaldara is also an ideal site for your next picnic plan.
Have you tasted coffee from these parts of India?