• Issues notice to producer of Civet Cat Coffee in Kodagu; files Police complaint
• Plaint closed as there is no evidence of cats being reared and tortured for poop

Mysuru:  The Coffee Board has issued notice to Coorg Consolidated Commodities regarding what it calls ‘unauthorised sale of Civet Coffee’. The notice has been issued by Deputy Director, Extension, Coffee Board, to Thamoo Poovaiah who markets Civet Coffee in Kodagu.

India, Asia’s third-largest producer and exporter of coffee, has been producing the world’s most expensive coffee, made from the poop of Civet Cat, on a small scale in Kodagu district. The Civet Coffee, also called as Luwark coffee, is expensive because of uncommon method of producing such a coffee. It is produced from the coffee beans digested by Civet Cat.

The faeces of this cat are collected, processed and sold. It is highly priced because it is claimed to be more nutritious and high cost involved in sourcing the animal dropping, wastage during processing and quality certification.

The Coffee Board notice, the copy of which is with Star of Mysore, states that the sale of Civet Coffee is banned under Wildlife Act. “It is surprising how can you brand and sell Civet Coffee when you don’t own wild cats in your estate. You are procuring raw coffee in the form of faeces of wild cats which is sold by persons who are known to you,” the notice states.

The Coffee Board has asked Thamoo Poovaiah, who is the managing partner of Coorg Consolidated Commodities that markets the Civet Coffee in brand Ainmane, to provide the names and addresses of those persons who supply Civet Coffee to him.

Police complaint

In addition to sending a notice, the Coffee Board also filed a complaint against Thamoo Poovaiah with the Kodagu SP for allegedly rearing Civet Cats to produce Civet Coffee. The complaint mentions that a well-known animal rights activist has alleged that worldwide, Civet Cats are confined and force-fed coffee cherries for them to produce poop. The complaint alleges that even Thamoo Poovaiah rears Civet Cats in confinement to produce the expensive coffee. Rearing such cats in cages is illegal and punishable under Wildlife Act as it is one of the most endangered species  in the world.

Complaint closed

Following the complaint, the case was transferred to Madikeri Rural Police Station and the Police, armed with a search warrant issued by Madikeri Additional Civil Judge and JMFC Court, conducted an inspection of Poovaiah’s estate near Kadagadalu along with Coffee Board and Forest Dept. officials. The team discovered that Civet Cats are not reared at the estate and the case has been closed now and the same has been communicated to the Court.

Reacting on the Coffee Board notice and the subsequent lodging of the case, Poovaiah told SOM that his firm procures Civet Cat poop through legal means and in no way the endangered species are confined and tortured as alleged by Coffee Board.

‘False and malicious complaint’

“This is a false and malicious case. If at all there is a violation in the Wildlife Act, the Forest Department must take action. Why is Coffee Board involved in this? Actually, Coffee Board should be promoting rare coffee produce such as Civet Coffee which are famous worldwide rather than harassing growers who are popularising such exotic coffee,” he said.

“In reply to the Coffee Board notice, I have set them a legal notice asking clarification on their move and how could they act autocratically in collusion with some animal rights activist that they have not named. Their move to lodge complaint and search my premises will amount to defamation and I am ready to take them on in the Court of law,” Thamoo Poovaiah added.