ELKHILL ESTATES

Elkhill is a group of estates situated at the edge of Dubare Forest, near the headwaters of the Cauvery in Kodagu (Coorg). The group cultivates more than 800 metric tonnes of coffee every year, across 1500 acres of land at elevations ranging from 457 to 1067 MASL. 

Run by the Ramapuram family, who have been growing coffee for four generations, what sets Elkhill apart is the scale at which biodiversity and production coexist. Ancient fig, jackfruit, rosewood, and silver oak trees shade the coffee plants, while pepper vines and arecanut palms grow between the rows. Asiatic elephants, tigers and gaurs move through the estate during harvest season, as Brahminy Kites circle overhead. The estates follow a closed-loop approach to farming, converting pulping wastewater into biogas and bio-fertilizer, while harvesting rainwater for irrigation and processing. 

Elkhill also runs a creche for the children of their workers and a pro bono school for underprivileged children nearby.