Koraput’s hills wake up each morning to the earthy scent of coffee blossoms and the quiet determination of its tribal farmers. This story has been simmering for decades, rich like the 100% Arabica beans it produces, yet it found a nationwide spotlight when Prime Minister Narendra Modi, during the 127th episode of Mann Ki Baat on October 26, saluted Koraput Coffee as a “matter of pride for Odisha” and a shining symbol of self-reliance. His recognition stirred joy back home, with Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi and Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan calling it a celebration of the state’s spirit and a tribute to the farmers whose hands nurture every harvest.
The aromatic brew from Koraput is more than a beverage. It carries centuries of tribal wisdom, patience, and a relationship with the land that runs deeper than the roots of its coffee shrubs. Modi spotlighted the passion that fuels these plantations, narrating stories of youth who traded corporate salaries for the scent of soil and freedom under open skies. Women, once confined to shrinking economic options, have stepped into the role of entrepreneurs and cultivators, brewing confidence along with coffee cherries. Koraput Coffee has become their passport to empowerment, a way to rewrite their own narrative while staying true to their ancestral soil.
Located within the emerald embrace of the Eastern Ghats, Koraput was once dismissed as a less-developed region. Nature, however, had always whispered its secret potential. The cool breeze that glides over the hills, the red earth enriched by forests, and the soft drizzle that kisses the slopes make this land a perfect cradle for coffee. Every bean grown here carries the subtle fingerprint of the tribal communities who have long protected this landscape’s ecological balance through sustainable, traditional methods.
The roots of coffee in Koraput stretch back to the 1930s when the region’s visionary king, Rajbahadur Rama Chandra Deo, introduced the first plantations. Government involvement in the 1950s added momentum, and what began as an experiment slowly matured into a movement. Today, the region is brimming with plantations that bring livelihood, dignity, and global recognition to communities that were once overlooked.
Branding and promotion efforts by the state have carried Koraput Coffee into cafes and cups far beyond Odisha’s borders. Export numbers rise, connoisseurs take notice, and each freshly brewed cup tells the world that tribal farmers are crafting excellence from the heart of India’s Eastern Ghats.
Koraput Coffee stands not merely as a product but as a legacy. It is the quiet revolution of a land reclaiming its potential. It is the empowerment of women whose laughter now echoes through coffee estates. It is the confidence of tribal youth ready to plant dreams as firmly as saplings. Every sip carries the story of resilience, heritage, and the pride of Odisha.
A brew this soulful deserves its fame. Koraput Coffee is more than a beverage from the hills. It is the hills themselves, poured into a cup.