Is there any one into cocoa farming in the forum? Where can we get the saplings, whats the price of the ssplings?
How is the cocoa matket in India? Are there any cocoa processing plants in India?
Dear Madam Vijayabharathi,
In India, mainly in some states like, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Tamilnadu,Maharashtra etc. Many coconut and Palm oil plantation farmers are growing cocoa as an inter crop. All state governments are fixing minimum assured price for purchasing cocoa beans from the farmers.
Companies like Cadburry India ( new name Mondelez India foods ltd ), Campco foods etc are purchasing from farmers , as per the guide lines of respective state Govts norms. Major share is collected by Mondelez India Foods ( formerly Cadburrry India ) and had their factories in Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh( sri city, Chittoor dist ) etc.
Price will be around Rs 200/- per kilo dry beans. Yield will be around 500 kgs Dry beans per acre as inter crop in Coconut and Palm oil plantations. Seedlings of cocoa will generally be given by cocoa purchasing companies to the farmers, at free of cost.
with best wishes, g.p.rao, farmer
Cocoa is a labour intensive crop. Please keep this in mind.
Regards
Padmanabhan Ganesan
agricultureforeverybody.blogspot.com