Visakhapatnam: Araku Valley coffee was honoured with the prestigious ‘Changemaker of the Year Award – 2025’ in the financial transformation category.

The award was presentedto Girijan Cooperative Corporation’s (GCC) vice chairperson and managing director Kalpana Kumari by Union Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas Hardeep Singh Puri at the seventh edition of the Business Line Changemaker Awards held recently in Mumbai.

Since its inception in 1956, GCC has diligently championed the welfare of tribal communities with a steadfast focus on economic empowerment and social upliftment. The introduction of coffee cultivation in Araku Valley during the 1970s has emerged as a transformative initiative, elevating subsistence farming into a sustainable and lucrative livelihood.

The success of Araku coffee is the result of decades of unwavering dedication of divisional officials of Paderu and Chintapalli and coffee procurement staff who meticulously engaged with farmers to ensure quality at the grassroots level. The collective endeavour led to stable incomes, social dignity and international acclaim for tribal farmers.

A significant milestoneachieved was the GI tag acquired in 2019 which eventually unlocked premium international markets for Araku coffee, establishing its identity as a brand synonymous with organic purity, rich aroma and distinct flavour.

Building upon the legacy, GCC attained organic certification in 2024 for 6,000 acres of coffee and black pepper plantations owned by 2,600 farmers in Chintapalli and GK Veedhi mandals, ASR district.

Speaking on the occasion, Kalpana Kumari said, “This award is a testament to the relentless dedication of our tribal farmers and GCC personnel. Araku Valley coffee transcends mere branding and embodies national pride and the dignity of the tribal community.”

Further, she stated that GCC remains resolutely committed to expanding its global footprint and harnessing modern technologies, including AI to facilitate even greater advancements for tribal farmers, she informed, dedicating the award to thousands of tribal farmers and hundreds of GCC employees.