Centre likely to announce ''coffee package''

The Central government has assured to announce a ''coffee package'' for the coffee planters here.

Union Commerce and Industrial Minister Anand Sharma informed this to a high level delegation which met him in New Delhi yesterday.

The delegation, led by Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister M Veerappa Moily and M Vishwanath, MP, requested the Minister to implement a Rs 900 crore loan waiver proposed by the then Minister Kamal Nath last year.

The delegation appealed to waive of total loans taken by planters holding less than 20 hectares and seventy per cent waiver for planters having more than 20 hectares.

The Minister also assured to look into the problems faced by tobacco growers who were also present in the delegation.