The Hindu Business Line : Tripartite pacts mooted for cocoa development

Kochi, Sept 11 The National Steering Committee meeting on Cocoa held in Kottayam has recommended that the concerned development departments and the cocoa industry to immediately go for tripartite agreements between the farming community, development departments and industries to pave way for positive development of cocoa in the country and to protect the interest of the cocoa growers.

The steering committee Chairman, Dr C.V. Ananda Bose, Additional Secretary (Horticulture), Union Ministry of Agriculture, also said considering the vast potential available in the East Godavari district of Andhra Pradesh for cocoa cultivation, the committee has asked the National Horticulture Mission (NHM) to include it as “National Horticulture Mission District” in the interest of crop in the country.

The committee also reiterated the need for all the sectors to play a responsible role in generating quality planting materials and distribution of it to the farming community, Mr Venkatesh N. Hubballi, Director, Directorate of Cashewnut and Cocoa Development under the Union Ministry of Agriculture, told Business Line.

Research Centre

According to Mr Hubballi, the steering committee has also recommended that the Cocoa Research Centre at the Kerala Agricultural University be upgraded as a national centre.

Dr Ananda Bose has directed the Kerala Horticulture Mission Director, Dr P. Pratapan, to prepare a viable project proposal by consulting the departments concerned of the State Government and the Kerala Agricultural University and submit it to the Union Ministry in this regard.

The Additional Secretary said the Union CentralGovernment was ready to help any ‘Institute of Excellence’ for the betterment of cocoa in the country.

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