Meghal Estate is a lovely 60-acre estate located in the Baba Budangiri Hills in Karnataka, India. Baba Budangiri is recognised as the birthplace of coffee plantations in India. Meghal estate is home to a variety of wild animals, including bison, elephants, and peacocks. The estate is also endowed with a steady supply of water, culminating in one of the estate’s most diversified ecosystems. This diverse habitat has a significant positive impact on the biodiversity of the region.
Mr Narendra, a third-generation coffee grower, is extremely passionate about his coffee farm. The family has been growing coffee at the estate since 1890, but Mr. Narendra has developed a deeper focus on improving the quality of coffee since the past 6 years.
The harvest season at Meghal Estate is from November to December. During harvest, cherries are selectively handpicked over three rounds, to ensure that only ripe cherries are picked for processing. The estate specializes in washed coffees, wherein the cherries are pulped, fermented, cleaned, and sun dried on raised trays. The coffees are then rested for 30-40 days before the curing process. Cherry mucilage and skin retrieved after the washing process is decomposed with the use of natural microbes for 90 days and then given to the soil as a natural fertilizer. Coffee at Meghal Estate is grown under the natural shade of 150 distinct tree types, primarily oak wood and cedar trees. This benefits the coffee plants in several ways such as protection from heavy wind, rain and extreme heat. Further, shade grown coffees require significantly lesser fertilization compared to coffees grown in full sun, hence resulting in lower use of fertilizers. Leaves of these trees fall to the ground and are decomposed by microbes, resulting in natural manure for the soil.
