BENGALURU: To save crops from changing weather conditions, coffee growers in the state are installing automated weather stations in their estates.
India Meteorological Department and the Karnataka State Natural Disaster Monitoring Centre are offering support to estate owners for this venture, apart from various research and educational institutions.
Officials in the Coffee Board said weather observatories are being set up in multiple locations. Some of them are obtaining permission and certification from the Board. These have been set up in 10 locations, including Coorg, Chikkamagalur and Hassan.
“There is a need for accurate weather information during blossoming, harvesting and when bean is being dried. There have been instances in the past where the bean and the flower have been damaged due to weather. The IMD observatories are located are far from the required locations and timely updates are not always available. Thus estate owners are setting up their own observatories,” the official said.
The Board is also working on installing weather observatories in Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Assam, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka. “Setting up weather stations involves state-of-the-art technology. The aim is to stay updated with weather and climatic variations even sitting in distant locations,” the official added.
Rishina Kuruvilla, Head of CSR and Sustainability, Kelachandra Coffee in Chikkamagaluru, said they have partnered with Deepflow Technologies, an agritech startup incubated at Nadathur S Raghavan Centre for Entrepreneurial Learning (NRSCEL) at IIM-Bangalore for installing the Augmented Weather Station and IndraWeather station at the estates.
“Climate volatility is a daily reality for coffee growers. By integrating hyperlocal intelligence, we are shifting our strategy from crisis response, reacting to droughts or heavy rains after they occur, to proactive climate adaptation.
This technology enables us to make informed decisions on varietal selection and agroforestry, ensuring our estates remain productive and sustainable for decades to come,” she said.
Centenary celebrations
The first research centre set up by Coffee Board in Chikkamagaluru will celebrate its centenary on December 20. Union ministers Piyush Goyal, HD Kumaraswamy and Prahalad Joshi will attend the celebrations from December 20-22.
The centre was set up in 1925 when most parts of the coffee growing regions in India and Sri Lanka were suffering with Leaf Rust Coffee disease. It had destroyed the entire coffee crop in Sri Lanka.
The centre, spread across 270 acres comprises of soil lab, plant physiology centre, latest state of the art technological interventions and a research and development lab where 450 coffee variety germ plasms have been created. The centre is the oldest after the ones established in Indonesia and Africa.
IMD issues alert for severe cold wave in North Karnataka
Bengaluru: Most districts in north Karnataka witnessed a sharp dip in temperatures on Sunday, with several places recording minimum temperatures up to 7°C below normal. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued an orange alert for severe cold wave conditions, warning that the situation is likely to persist for the next two days.
According to IMD data, parts of North Interior Karnataka recorded a significant drop from normal minimum temperatures. Bidar saw the steepest drop, with temperatures dipping 7.6°C below normal. Vijayapura recorded a fall of 5.3°C, Dharwad 5.1°C, Gadag 5.6°C, Haveri 5.5°C and Raichur 5.3°C. In South Interior Karnataka, similar conditions prevailed, with Davanagere recording a dip of 6.5°C, Hassan 6°C, and Mandya 5.4°C below normal.
An IMD scientist said the temperatures are much below normal and are expected to remain so for the next two days. Explaining the phenomenon, weather observer Ravi Keerthi Gowda told TNIE that the current conditions are part of ENSO climatology, with La Niña prevailing. “During La Niña, winters tend to be colder.
As this coincides with the Northeast Monsoon or Hingaru period, the absence of cyclonic systems over the Bay of Bengal means moisture is not pushed inland,” he said. This results in northerly winds bringing dry air, intensifying the chill even during sunny afternoons. In North Interior Karnataka, located on the Deccan Plateau, rapid heating and cooling lead to fog formation and sharper temperature drops – effects that are stronger during La Niña years.
Gowda noted that La Niña conditions are expected to persist till February, though on a weakening trend. Authorities have advised people to take precautions against cold-related illnesses such as hypothermia and frostbite, wear adequate warm clothing, limit outdoor exposure and stay alert to health symptoms. Commuters are urged to exercise caution due to fog and poor visibility, particularly on highways, rail routes and at airports and to keep track of IMD forecasts and official alerts. —Indra S