Coorg

Coorg (Kodagu): Coffee & History

Coorg, in the Western Ghats of Karnataka, is one of India’s most important coffee-growing regions. Cool temperatures, heavy monsoon rain, and forested hills made it a natural fit for coffee when the crop spread through southern India in the 19th century.

How coffee came to Coorg

Coffee reached South India earlier (the classic Baba Budan story in the 17th century), but it arrived in Coorg later, under British rule.
By the mid-1800s, European planters had begun carving estates out of forested slopes, and coffee quickly became the dominant commercial crop in Kodagu.

From colonial estates to Kodava families

During the late colonial period, most large estates were European-owned, but Kodava families and local communities were deeply involved as landholders, workers, and managers.
After Independence, many British planters sold their estates, and ownership shifted to Indian entrepreneurs and Kodava families. Coffee became central to Coorg’s economy and to Kodava middle-class life.

Varieties, shade, and spice

Coorg is traditionally a shade-grown arabica region, with coffee planted under a multi-layer canopy of native trees. Pepper, cardamom, and other spices are often grown on the same estates.

With time, leaf rust and other pressures pushed a gradual shift:

• Experimentation with rust-tolerant arabica lines (including locally named “Coorg” selections)


• Significant expansion of robusta, valued for its yield and resilience

Today, most estates grow a mix of arabica and robusta, still under shade, still intertwined with spices.

Coorg’s modern coffee identity

Modern Coorg is synonymous with:

• Shade-grown, rainforest coffee


• Intercropping with spices (especially black pepper)


• Estate homestays and coffee tourism

The typical cup profile is:

• Medium body


• Low to medium acidity


• Notes of chocolate, nuts, and gentle spice

Coffee is not just an industry here; it’s a defining part of Kodava landscape, culture, and hospitality.