“Cocoa Gold” – Reaching out to over 65,000 farmers in 4 states in South India
Cocoa Gold is a program to help coconut farmers in the states of Tamil Nadu, Andhra
Pradesh and Karnataka to plant cocoa as an inter-crop with coconut. In addition
to the 3 states, the program also reaches out to farmers in Kerala where cocoa is
grown as a mixed crop since the early 1970’s.
Cadbury India currently runs 20 nurseries spread across 4 states in an effort to
provide easily accessible seedlings to farmers. The seeds are provided at a subsidized
rate to farmers. Cadbury also provides free technical know-how to farmers, conducting
hundreds of farm demonstration meetings every year. In 2010 Cadbury India planted
6.5 million cocoa seedlings in 4 states.
Our Cocoa Gold program marks a perfect coming together of our business and sustainability
goals, providing us an opportunity to achieve self sufficiency in the production
and procurement of cocoa beans while making a meaningful difference in the community.
Cocoa in India – A perspective
Cocoa – An Ideal Intercrop
Cocoa grows well in the interspaces between coconut that otherwise is unused land.Cocoa
is less labor intensive compared to many other horticultural crops. This enables
a farmer to earn an additional income without much investment on inputs and labor
and without any investment on land. Another very important aspect of Cocoa is that
it is a perennial crop with peaks in April to June and September to November enabling
the farmer to earn during monsoon while there is no other income from his farm.
Origin
Cocoa, botanically known as being a tropical crop is native to Amazon basin and
spread to other countries within 15 degrees on either side of the equator including
Mexico, Central America, Caribbean Islands, South America, West Africa and South
East Asia where the conditions for growing were ideal. West Africa dominates the
world production today followed by South East Asia.
Entry in to India
India is relatively a new entrant in to the world of cocoa cultivation. Cadbury
initiated cocoa as a viable cash crop in India through a demonstration farm at Chundale
in Wyanad district of Kerala in 1965 and planting of cocoa in India on a commercial
scale was taken up from the early 1970’s onwards with Cadbury giving the free planting
material and technical knowhow to the farming community. Central Plantation Crops
Research Institute (CPCRI) started research on cocoa in 1972 and Kerala Agricultural
University (KAU) followed in 1979. Cadbury has been partnering the research at KAU
for the last 20 years. In 2008, we also partnered with Tamil Nadu Agricultural
University (TNAU) to help promote cocoa cultivation in the state.
Cadbury’s Role in Indian Cocoa
a) Pioneering Effort
Though cocoa is believed to have been introduced into Sri Lanka and India in the
18th century, 1965 marked the turning point for cocoa in India,
when Cadbury pioneered Cocoa cultivation by establishing a demonstration farm at
Wyanad in Northern Kerala. The company offered cocoa seedlings at subsidized prices
to the farmers and free technical advice on the cultivation practices. Thus, planting
of Cocoa was taken up in Kerala, Coastal Karnataka and parts of Tamil Nadu initially
and later spread to the state of Andhra Pradesh.
b) Research on Cocoa
In addition to being involved in cocoa research in its own plantation for long,
Cadbury has been associated with KAU and funding the research from 1987 in the areas
of importing germplasm from Reading University, UK, the world renowned quarantine
station, maintaining germplasm, selection for high yield, desirable bean characteristics
and disease resistance, hybridization for evolving superior varieties with desirable
characters, breeding programs for disease resistance, standardization of farm practices,
rejuvenation techniques and Hybrid Seed garden for cocoa area expansion.
Being an introduced crop (not native), spectacular increase in yield and other desirable
characteristics through breeding is possible only by building a strong genetic base.
Hence, the effort to import germplasm form UK was initiated and KAU today boasts
of having the largest number of germplasm in the country. Hybridization is essentially
combining accessions in germplasm with special attributes as parents that would
yield progeny with exceptional characteristics. Hybridization is done towards achieving
high yield, improved quality and disease tolerance and field trials are conducted
before introducing the same for commercial multiplication.
C) Cocoa extension program
Cadbury’s Cocoa department produces over 7.5 million hybrid seedlings annually and
distributes among farmers in Kerala, Andhra, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka. Cadbury’s
technical staff travel all over the cocoa growing areas giving farmers advice and
assistance in all aspects of cocoa cultivation. Cadbury adopts innovative training
approach through seminars and field demonstrations similar to FFS (farmers field
school) developed by FAO to impart knowledge about cocoa cultural practices to farmers.
It is an interactive and knowledge oriented approach to improve farm management
increasing productivity and farmers’ income. Farmers are encouraged to share their
experience for the benefit of all. The challenge is to reach more farmers and motivate
them to take up cocoa cultivation. It is heartening to note that knowledge transfer
has taken place to over 65000 cocoa farmers through a dedicated team of 60
full time employees. The testimony of this lies in the fact that the productivity
per tree in India is at over 1.1 kg which is amongst the best in the world.
D) Post Harvest Farm Processing
Proper fermentation of beans after harvesting and opening of pods followed by sun
drying only will ensure the beans meet the quality requirements of the user industries.
In Kerala and Coastal Karnataka, buyers need to do fermentation and sun drying elsewhere
as the average land holding is small resulting in inadequate quantities coupled
with continuous rain during most part of the year hindering farm-gate processing.
However, in Andhra and Tamil Nadu the fermentation and sun drying are done in the
farm itself.
Cadbury’s technical team advises and assists the farming community in the primary
processing of Cocoa in the farms immediately on harvesting.
E) Procurement
Cadbury with its well established network procures cocoa in all the cocoa growing
areas. A healthy competition exists for the commodity from many other users and
traders. The prices have been remunerative to the farmers and cocoa offers a fairly
steady price levels ensuring profits to the farmers. The demand has been steadily
increasing over the years opening more avenues for the expansion of this crop in
to newer territories.
