India’s Coffee Board has warned growers against buying unverified exotic coffee seedlings from private nurseries, saying that unauthorized planting material from Vietnam and Brazil could threaten the country’s coffee sector if it introduces new pests and diseases.
The advisory, attributed to Dr. M. Senthilkumar, Director of Research at the Central Coffee Research Institute (CCRI), was reported by CoffeeLand News, News Karnataka and the Times of India in early August. While the exact date and place of issue are not specified in those reports, all three state that the Board is urging farmers to avoid exotic material that has not been tested under Indian conditions or cleared under national quarantine rules.
According to the Times of India, private nurseries have been marketing Vietnamese varieties identified as TS5, TR9 and TR11, along with unspecified Brazilian lines, at prices between Rs 115 and Rs 350 per plant. Koppa-based planter Arun Kumar told the newspaper, “The nursery demanded Rs 325 per plant,” explaining why he chose not to proceed with a purchase at that price point. Another grower, Deepak, said in the same report that “thousands of such plants” had already been supplied by nurseries over the years.
The Coffee Board, a statutory body under the Government of India, has not authorised or accredited any private nursery, estate or garden to import exotic coffee varieties, according to both the Times of India and CoffeeLand News. Those outlets also report that the performance of these foreign varieties under Indian agro-climatic conditions has not yet been scientifically evaluated or verified by the Board.
Dr. Senthilkumar’s advisory, as quoted by the Times of India, warns: “Any unauthorized plant materials may be deleterious to the whole Coffee Industry. It could spread diseases and destroy the industry.” The same article notes that CCRI only recommends a new variety after multi-location trials across India’s coffee-growing tracts to assess sustainability and economic viability.
Citing Dr. Senthilkumar’s advisory, CoffeeLand News reports that the Government of India has laid down mandatory protocols for importing and introducing all planting materials, including quarantine compliance, and that importing exotic varieties without following these procedures could enable entry of pests, diseases and noxious weeds not currently prevalent in India. The Times of India adds that once such pests or pathogens enter plantation ecosystems, they are extremely difficult and expensive to contain and may affect “lakhs of growers.”
News Karnataka and the Times of India both report that exotic coffee plants are being aggressively promoted by private nurseries and individuals on social media, with demand rising among growers in Karnataka. News Karnataka further notes growing interest among “new-generation” growers in non-traditional coffee areas, while also citing officials who stress that the expansion of coffee cultivation into new regions makes untested planting material a particular concern.
Responding to reports of unauthorized seedlings, Coffee Board chairman M. J. Dinesh told the Times of India that the Board had received information that a few private nurseries were selling unauthorised seedlings, seeds and plants. “We have sought clarification from them, and suitable action will be initiated if any violations are found,” he said. The same report says some planters have questioned the time taken to respond, with Deepak arguing that “only after receiving complaints is the authorised body acting.”
As a practical step, growers have been advised to verify any planting material with Coffee Board scientists before purchase, according to both the Times of India and News Karnataka. CoffeeLand News reports that the issue is expected to feature at a Coffee Planters’ Meet scheduled for 19 August 2026, underscoring how concern over unverified exotic varieties has moved to the centre of India’s coffee sector discussions.
