Coffee Development Programme in North Eastern Region

The scheme “Coffee Development Programme in North Eastern Region: Quality Upgradation / Certification: Support for Eco-Certification / Organic Certification” is a Sub-Component of the Scheme “Integrated Coffee Development Project During the Medium Term Framework (MTF) Period: Development Support to Stakeholders” by the Coffee Board, Department of Commerce, Ministry of Commerce and Industry. This scheme aims to encourage coffee growers to improve quality for higher returns and improve access to high-value specialty markets through the production of eco-certified coffees. An allied objective of this scheme is to encourage small growers to form groups/collectives for taking up eco-certification that will facilitate the creation of common facilities in the future.

Benefits

Scale of Subsidy

For Organic Certification: 75% of the certification cost spread over 3 years or the Conversion period, whichever is less during the MTF period.

For Other Eco-Certifications: 75% of the certification cost for one year during the MTF period.

Documents Required

Application in the prescribed format (in duplicate).
Certificate of incorporation/registration, memorandum of article of association/society as Grower Collective/SHG/ Cooperative issued by the authority concerned and Complete list/details of members of the organization.
Copy of the certificate issued by the Accredited Certification Agency.
Original invoice towards the cost of certification.
Copy of the Bank Pass Book containing the details of account number, name of the Bank, branch, IFSC code, etc.

Eligibility

The applicants should be SHGs/collectives of tribal growers who obtain certification of their plantations for various sustainability and quality standards.
The applicant can access support only for certification of estates as per Organic, Fair Trade, Rainforest Alliance, UTZ Certified, Bird friendly/Shade grown coffee standards, or any other certification programs equivalent to the above programs.
The applicant claiming support for Eco/organic certification should have been certified as per the National Programme for Organic Production (NPOP) standards, even if they are certified as per various international standards like EU Regulation, NOP (National Organic Programme of USA), JAS (Japanese Agriculture Standards), etc.
The applicant should obtain the Certificate only from the Certification Agencies accredited by the respective Certification Programmes during the MTF period.

Application Process

Procedure for Claiming Subsidy

Step 1: Certification Completion and Documentation

After obtaining certification by the accredited certification body/agency, the SHG/growers’ group of tribal growers shall submit the following documents to the concerned office of the JLO/SLO of the Coffee Board.

Step 2: Submission to Coffee Board Office

The concerned JLO/SLO will scrutinize the documents, carry out field inspection for verification of books and records.

Step 3: Review and Verification

The JLO/SLO shall forward the claim along with the Physical Verification Report and other relevant records to the concerned Deputy Director (Extn)/Joint Director (Extn).

Step 4: Approval and Subsidy Disbursement

The Deputy Director (Extn.)/Joint Director (Extn) after scrutinizing the claim and records and on confirmation about the admissibility of the claim in all respects will release the subsidy amount to the beneficiary.

FAQs

Are applicants pursuing Eco/organic certification obliged to adhere to specific national standards?

Yes, applicants must obtain certification in accordance with NPOP standards, even if they hold certifications from international standards like EU Regulation, NOP, JAS, etc.

What are the steps involved in claiming the subsidy after certification?

Submission of requisite documents to the Coffee Board, followed by scrutiny, field inspection, review, and approval by designated authorities culminates in the disbursement of the subsidy.