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In 1773 antagonism arose in the British colonies – particularly North America- against the East India Company’s monopoly of the [[tea|tea trade]]. This resulted in the Boston Tea Party, (wherein tea, carried by the [[ East India Company]] to Boston harbour, was thrown overboard into the water), - which was one of the events leading up to the subsequent American War of Independence. The effects of this also rebounded on the coffee trade – as can be evidenced by the [[1780 Europa Act]] .

The coffee industry has remained centred in the hills of Southern India. The early nineteenth century saw an increased growth in coffee planting – the activity having spread to the Shevaroy Hills (notably at [[Yercaud]]) and the [[Nilgiri Hills|NiligirisNilgiris]] ([[Kotagiri]] and [[Coonoor]]). This was not long after the first coffee house in India had opened in [[Calcutta]](c 1780) which was followed by others – thus increasing its popularity as a fashionable drink.

It is noted that Catherine Falls near Kotagiri is named after the wife of M D Cockburn, district collector of [[Salem]], who is said to be the person responsible for introducing the coffee plant to Yercaud in 1820. In 1843 he established the first coffee estate in Kotagiri.

====Historical books online====