The Hindu Business Line : Campco plans setting up import-export cell

The objective
The main aim of the cell is to compete with other players in import-export market for its commodities and to protect the interests of member farmers.

Mangalore , April 3

The Mangalore-based multi-State co-operative — Central Arecanut and Cocoa Marketing and Processing Co-operative (Campco) Ltd — is planning to set up an import-export cell, the first of its kind in the region.

The main aim of the cell is to compete with other players in the import-export market for its commodities and to protect the interests of member farmers.

The Campco President, Mr S.R. Rangamurthy, told Business Line here that the cell was likely to come into existence in three to four months' time.

Campco's board, which met here on March 29, has given its approval to form the cell.

"We should be ready to face competitions in the open world market. Apart from identifying markets for our commodities in other countries, the cell will help improve our position in the domestic market," he said.

By 2010, agriculture commodities such as arecanut and cocoa will also be in the open world market. Then, there are chances of other countries entering these markets. It was better to have a strategy to compete in the world market, rather than opposing their entry in the Indian market, Mr Rangamurthy said.

The cell wouldidentify markets for cocoa butter and other cocoa products. The cocoa beans crushing capacity at Campco's processing unit at Puttur in Dakshina Kannada district had remained under-utilised, he said.

Campco, which made attempts to curb the import of arecanut this year, was successful in persuading the Union Government to suspend the advance licences given for the import of arecanut.

This could not be expected every year, he said.

The proposed cell will help co-operatives devise measures to tackle illegal import of arecanut into the Indian market.

To recruit MBAs

The co-operative is making efforts to launch the cell in a professional way. "We are planning to appoint some MBA graduates to manage this cell," he said, adding that senior staff members of Campco will guide them. The co-operative wants a blend of the new and old for this venture, he said.

Campco had tried to explore the export market for arecanut in the last few years. It had exported a few consignments to Pakistan and Afghanistan also.

With an bullish trend prevailing in the domestic arecanut market, export has taken a backseat now.

More Stories on : Plantations | Exports & Imports | Co-operatives | Karnataka

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