Karnataka to raise cocoa production

Karnataka, which records the highest yield per hectare in cocoa cultivation, is seeking to make the most of this. The massive programme aims at increasing the area under cocoa cultivation by 10,000 hectares over the next five years.

The department of horticulture has chalked out a programme to encourage farmers in many of the districts to take up cocoa plantation and is distributing high yielding grafts and seedlings.

"Over the next five years we aim to increase cocoa production by 10,000 metric tonnes in the state," joint director of horticulture, Jayaram said.

Presently, the state produces 2,500 metric tonnes of dry cocoa beans on 2,000 hectares. While Kerala produces 3,500 tonnes from 8,000 hectares, Andhra Pradesh generates 650 tonnes from 2,900 hectares.

Compared to other states, the yield is very high in Karnataka. This will go up further once the new high yielding varieties (GV-I, GV-II and GV-IV hybrid seedlings are being distributed to farmers) being planted start producing the cocoa beans, Jayaram said.

According to Jayaram, the potential for cocoa in the country is immense as the country needs 28,000 metric tonnes of dry beans annually. As against this, the country is able to produce only 7,500 metric tonnes. The rest is imported.

Of the proposed 10,000 hectares planned to be brought under the cocoa cultivation, nearly 5,000 hectares will be developed under the National Horticulture Mission project cleared for the state recently.

The department of horticulture aims to bring an additional 4,000 hectares under cocoa cultivation in the state in 2005-06, 2,000 hectares in 2006-07 and 1,000 hectares each over the next three years, Jayaram told Business Standard.

The cocoa industry in the country has expanded considerably in the recent years. A number of companies such as Cadbury, Campco, Nestle and other confectionery manufacturing units are procuring cocoa for various applications.

The horticulture department has earmarked Rs 1.35 crore for development of new areas. It plans to distribute four lakh high yielding cocoa grafts to farmers in the districts of Dakshina Kannada, Udupi, Uttara Kannada, Shimoga, Hassan, Kodagu, Tumkur and Chikmagalur.

The department is also providing farmers with chemicals for protecting the plants and inputs free of cost apart from giving them training in modern cultivation methods.

"We are encouraging farmers to cultivate cocoa as an inter-crop with coffee and areca plantations as this is found to be commercially viable," Jayaram said.