In a big relief to cocoa growers during the lockdown, the Central Arecanut and Cocoa Marketing and Processing Cooperative Ltd (CAMPCO) resumed procuring wet cocoa beans from farmers in Dakshina Kannada from April 9, according to its president S.R. Satishchandra.
The cooperative had stopped procuring both cocoa beans and arecanut from farmers since the 21-day nationwide lockdown came into force. As the arecanut market in the country is completely shut there are no buyers for arecanut, putting the farmers, especially the small and marginal ones, in peril.
Cocoa is prominently grown as an inter-crop in the arecanut plantations in the coastal and Malnad belt. As the first cocoa crop season from April to June has begun the farmers were worrying with no takers for the wet beans. Hence the cooperative had asked the farmers to dry it till it resumed the procurement.
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Mr. Satishchandra said that initially the procurement will be done at six branches in Sullia, Vitla, Kadaba, Adyanadka, Puttur and Belthangady once a week.
The beans will be purchased in Sullia, Vitla, Adyanadka and Kadaba branches every Thursday. It will be procured in Belthangady branch on Mondays and in Puttur on Fridays.
A CAMPCO official said that wet beans is being purchased at ₹58 per kg and dry beans at ₹ 180-185 per kg.
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The cooperative will think over procuring the beans in other districts depending on the logistical issues.
The crop season which began from this month reaches its peak next month, the official said adding that the cooperative’s chocolate factory at Puttur continues to be shut down. It purchased 3,200 tonnes of wet beans from farmers during 2019-20.