Plan for Farmers

Cocoa Gold Program

“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 – 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.

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.

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.

Thanks : http://www.cadburyindia.com