I applied for the Replanting and Rejuvenation Scheme subsidy months ago but have received no response. Can RTI help me find out why?

Yes. RTI is directly applicable here. File with the CPIO, Coffee Board of India (Bengaluru headquarters or the relevant regional office for your state) and ask: (1) whether your application has been received and registered in the Coffee Board's system; (2) the current processing status and the officer responsible; (3) the specific reason for any delay, rejection, or pending status, along with the scheme guideline provision under which the decision was made; (4) the prescribed timeline for processing replanting subsidy applications under the relevant scheme guidelines. If you previously received any written or oral communication from the Coffee Board about your application, mention the reference number or date in your RTI. The Coffee Board is a public authority under Section 2(h) of the RTI Act; delays in scheme disbursements are a legitimate subject for RTI scrutiny.

How do I know which Coffee Board office — headquarters or regional — to file my RTI with?

The Coffee Board has its headquarters in Bengaluru and maintains regional offices in the key coffee-growing states: Karnataka (Bengaluru and Chikkamagaluru), Kerala (Wayanad and Kochi), and Tamil Nadu (Ooty/Nilgiris). For queries about individual grower applications, disbursements, or scheme-specific records that are generated and held at the regional level — such as your district's replanting subsidy beneficiary list or regional pest control expenditure — file with the CPIO of the relevant regional office. For policy-level information, scheme guidelines, national statistics, or export fund utilisation, file with the CPIO at headquarters. If you are unsure, you may file at headquarters; under Section 6(3) of the RTI Act, the CPIO is obliged to transfer your request to the correct office within five days and notify you.

Can I use RTI to obtain Coffee Board market intelligence reports or export data that are not publicly available on the website?

You can request any document or record held by Coffee Board through RTI, including market intelligence reports, price trend analyses, export statistics, and fund utilisation statements. The Coffee Board may claim a partial exemption under Section 8(1)(d) — information that could harm the competitive position of a third party — if a report contains commercially sensitive data sourced from private traders. However, aggregate statistics, methodology descriptions, ICO price references, and fund utilisation accounts are public interest information and are ordinarily disclosable. Ask specifically for the document by name and year, and also ask for the methodology and data sources used — this formulation makes it harder to withhold the entire document on commercial-sensitivity grounds. If the PIO partially withholds the report, the First Appeal officer or the CIC can direct disclosure of the non-exempt portions.

What if the Coffee Board says the subsidy information involves third-party grower details and cannot be disclosed?

The Coffee Board may invoke Section 8(1)(j) of the RTI Act — personal information — to protect the names and financial details of individual beneficiaries. However, aggregate data (total beneficiaries, total disbursement, district-wise expenditure) does not attract this exemption. You can also ask for your own application records — the status of your own application, the reason for rejection, and any internal noting on your file — without any third-party issue arising. If the PIO refuses to disclose aggregate beneficiary data, challenge this at the First Appeal stage: the public interest in transparency of government subsidy disbursements from public funds generally outweighs privacy concerns for publicly-funded scheme beneficiaries.

Home/Guides/How to File RTI with Coffee Board of India — Plantation Subsidy, Replanting Grants and Pest Control Expenditure

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How to File RTI with Coffee Board of India — Plantation Subsidy, Replanting Grants and Pest Control Expenditure

Q: What is the appeal process if Coffee Board does not respond or provides an unsatisfactory reply?

Coffee Board of India is a statutory body under the Central Government (Ministry of Commerce and Industry) and is covered under the Central RTI framework. If you receive no response within 30 days, or receive an incomplete or unsatisfactory response: File a First Appeal under Section 19(1) with the First Appellate Authority (FAA) at Coffee Board within 30 days of the date of decision or expiry of the 30-day response period, whichever is applicable. The FAA must dispose of the appeal within 30 days (extendable to 45 days with reasons). If the FAA also fails or the response remains unsatisfactory, file a Second Appeal under Section 19(3) with the Central Information Commission (CIC) within 90 days of the FAA's decision. The CIC can impose a penalty of up to ₹250 per day (maximum ₹25,000) on the PIO for unjustified delay or refusal, and can award compensation to the applicant.

Step-by-step guide to file an RTI application with the Coffee Board of India for details of replanting and rejuvenation scheme disbursements, post-harvest technology grant eligibility, borer pest control programme expenditure, coffee grower registration data, market intelligence reports, and export promotional fund utilisation. Includes a ready-to-use sample RTI draft and FAQs.

Updated 1 Jun 2026

Quick Facts

MinistryMinistry of Commerce and Industry

Address RTI ToCPIO, Coffee Board of India, Coffee House, No.1, Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Veedhi, Bengaluru – 560001

Application Fee₹10 under RTI (Regulation of Fee and Cost) Rules, 2005. Free for BPL cardholders.

Response Time30 days from receipt (Section 7(1), RTI Act 2005). 48 hours if the matter involves life or liberty.

File Online Athttps://rtionline.gov.in

All information on this page is based on the Right to Information Act, 2005 (Act No. 22 of 2005) and the RTI (Regulation of Fee and Cost) Rules, 2005. First Appeal: Section 19(1). Second Appeal to CIC/SIC: Section 19(3).

The Coffee Board of India is a statutory body established under the Coffee Act, 1942, and functions under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Government of India. It regulates coffee cultivation, processing, curing, and exports across India's primary coffee-growing regions — Karnataka, Kerala, and Tamil Nadu — as well as emerging growing areas in Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, and the North-East.

Coffee Board administers a range of grower welfare schemes, including replanting and rejuvenation subsidies, post-harvest technology grants, pest and disease control programmes, and market development assistance. It also publishes market intelligence reports on international and domestic coffee prices and manages export promotional funds. As a body substantially financed by the Government of India, Coffee Board is a public authority under Section 2(h) of the RTI Act, 2005, and its records — including scheme disbursements, grant approvals, and fund utilisation accounts — are subject to RTI disclosure.

Coffee Board's Schemes and What RTI Can Uncover

Coffee Board's subsidy and support programmes are a significant source of financial assistance for small and marginal growers. RTI is a powerful tool for growers who have applied for assistance but have not received a decision, wish to verify that disbursements are reaching intended beneficiaries, or want to understand how programme budgets are being utilised.

Replanting and Rejuvenation Scheme: This scheme provides financial assistance to growers for uprooting senile or unproductive coffee plants and replanting with high-yielding, pest-resistant varieties. Disbursements are made per acre based on the age of the plantation and the variety being planted. RTI can establish the eligibility criteria currently in force, the list of beneficiaries in a given district and financial year, and the status of a specific grower's pending application — including the reason for any delay or rejection.

Post-Harvest Technology (PHT) Grants: Coffee Board provides grants for the purchase of processing equipment — pulpers, fermentation tanks, drying beds, curing equipment — to help smallholders improve output quality and access premium markets. RTI can reveal the categories of equipment covered under the current grant cycle, the percentage of the equipment cost covered and the ceiling per beneficiary, and the number of growers in a given state who received the grant.

Coffee Berry Borer and White Stem Borer Pest Control Programmes: Borer infestations cause significant crop losses across Karnataka and Kerala plantations. Coffee Board runs annual pest management programmes providing subsidised traps, pesticides, and advisory services. RTI can establish the total expenditure on these programmes broken down by district, the number of beneficiary growers covered, and the type and quantum of inputs provided — enabling cross-verification with actual ground-level distribution.

Market Intelligence Reports: Coffee Board publishes periodic reports on domestic and international coffee price trends, referencing ICO composite prices, futures markets, and export demand. These reports inform growers' marketing decisions. RTI can be used to request specific reports that may not be publicly displayed on the Coffee Board website, and to understand the methodology and data sources behind price projections.

Export Promotional Fund: Coffee Board manages funds for market development, participation in international trade fairs, promotional branding, and market access facilitation for Indian coffee exporters. RTI can establish the total allocation and utilisation of these funds, broken down by component — providing transparency on how export promotion budgets are spent.

Regional Offices: Where to File for Grower-Specific Queries

Coffee Board's headquarter is in Bengaluru, but most grower-level scheme implementation — application receipt, field verification, disbursement — is handled by regional and field offices. If your query relates to your own application, a district-level beneficiary list, or regional pest control expenditure, filing with the relevant regional office CPIO will typically yield faster and more specific results than filing at headquarters.

State	Regional Office
Karnataka	Bengaluru (HQ); Chikkamagaluru (Regional Office)
Kerala	Wayanad (Kalpetta); Kochi
Tamil Nadu	Ooty / Nilgiris

You can file at headquarters if you are unsure which office holds the record — the CPIO is required under Section 6(3) to transfer the request to the correct office within five days and notify you.

What Specific Information Can You Ask For?

Replanting and Rejuvenation Scheme:

Eligibility criteria currently in force — plantation age threshold, acreage conditions, documentation requirements
List of beneficiaries in District/Taluk, State for financial year — names, acreage, amount disbursed (or aggregate figures if personal data is withheld)
Status of your application — receipt confirmation, processing stage, reason for delay or rejection

Post-Harvest Technology Grant: 4. Equipment categories covered, grant percentage and ceiling per beneficiary for the current cycle 5. Number of PHT grant beneficiaries in State for financial year and total disbursement

Pest Control Programmes: 6. Total expenditure on borer pest control in State for financial year, district-wise 7. Number of beneficiary growers covered and type and quantum of inputs provided

Market Intelligence: 8. Latest Market Intelligence Report for season/year — full document or extract, and methodology used 9. International price references and data sources incorporated into the report

Export Promotional Fund: 10. Total allocation and utilisation under the Export Promotional Fund in the last two financial years, broken down by scheme component

Appeals

First Appeal (Section 19(1)): File with the First Appellate Authority (FAA) at Coffee Board of India within 30 days of the date of decision or expiry of the 30-day response period, whichever is applicable. The FAA must decide within 30 days (extendable to 45 days).

Second Appeal (Section 19(3)): Coffee Board is a Central Government body under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry. Second appeal lies with the Central Information Commission (CIC) — file within 90 days of the FAA's decision. The CIC can direct disclosure, impose penalties of up to ₹25,000 on the PIO, and recommend disciplinary action for persistent non-disclosure.

Sample RTI Application Draft

To,
The Central Public Information Officer (CPIO),
Coffee Board of India,
Coffee House, No.1, Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Veedhi,
Bengaluru – 560001
[OR: CPIO, Regional Office of Coffee Board, [Region / State] — for grower-specific regional queries]

Subject: Application under the Right to Information Act, 2005 — Plantation Subsidy Disbursement, Post-Harvest Technology Grants, Borer Pest Control Expenditure and Market Intelligence Reports

Sir/Madam,

I, [Your Full Name], residing at [Your Full Address], submit this application under Section 6 of the Right to Information Act, 2005, to seek the following information:

Applicant / grower details (where applicable):
  Name of Coffee Grower / Estate: [Full Name / Estate Name]
  Coffee Board Grower Registration Number (if available): [Reg. No.]
  State / District / Taluk: [State — Karnataka / Kerala / Tamil Nadu / other]
  Nature of Issue / Scheme: [e.g., Replanting Subsidy / Post-Harvest Technology Grant / Borer Pest Control]

Information sought:

1. The eligibility criteria prescribed under the Replanting and Rejuvenation Scheme (or the current scheme name as applicable) for coffee plantations in [State/District] — including minimum plantation age, acreage conditions, and documentation required for a grower to qualify for the subsidy.

2. The list of coffee growers in [District/Taluk], [State] who received disbursements under the Replanting and Rejuvenation Scheme in the financial years [Year 1] and [Year 2] — including the name of each beneficiary, acreage covered, and the amount disbursed per beneficiary. If individual names are exempt, provide the aggregate number of beneficiaries and total amount disbursed.

3. Whether the application for Replanting / Rejuvenation Scheme subsidy submitted by [Applicant Name / Estate Name], Registration No. [XXX], in [Month/Year] has been processed — the current status of the application, and if rejected or kept pending, the specific reason and the provision of the scheme guidelines under which the decision was made.

4. The eligibility criteria and disbursement details under the Post-Harvest Technology (PHT) Grant for [Year] — including the categories of processing equipment covered, the grant percentage applicable, the maximum grant ceiling per beneficiary, and the number of growers who received the grant in [State] during [financial year].

5. The total expenditure incurred by the Coffee Board on the Coffee Berry Borer (CBB) / White Stem Borer pest control programme in [State] during [financial year], broken down by district — including the number of beneficiary growers covered, the type of control measures deployed, and the quantum of subsidy or input material provided per beneficiary.

6. The basis and methodology used to compile the latest Coffee Board Market Intelligence Report published for [season/year] — including data sources consulted, whether international price benchmarks (ICO composite price, terminal markets) are incorporated, and whether the full report or an extract is publicly accessible.

7. The total amount allocated and utilised under the Coffee Export Promotion Fund or any equivalent export promotional fund administered by the Coffee Board in the last two financial years, disaggregated by scheme component (e.g., trade fairs, brand promotion, market development assistance).

I am enclosing the application fee of Rs. 10 [via online payment; Reference No.: [Payment Ref]].

I request the above information within 30 days as required under Section 7(1) of the RTI Act, 2005.

Yours sincerely,

[Your Full Name]
[Your Complete Address]
Phone: [Your 10-digit Mobile Number]
Email: [[email protected]]
Date: [DD/MM/YYYY]

Replace all text in [square brackets] with your actual details before filing. Do not include the brackets in your submission.

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