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Our Bureau

Mangalore , Sept. 2

ENTHUSED by the success of retail marketing of arecanut, the Mangalore Agriculturists' Souharda Sahakari (MASS) plans to retail pepper in the north Indian market.

Addressing presspersons here on Friday, Mr Sridhar G. Bhide, President of MASS, said the sahakari would launch small packets of pepper, on a trial basis, on September 5.

The arecanut retail agents' network in northern India will be used to market pepper also. Stating that MASS would introduce pepper in 0.5 kg and 1 kg packets, Mr Sridhar said the best quality pepper would be available at a maximum retail price of Rs 100 a kg.

On the reasons for retail marketing of pepper, Mr Bhide said most arecanut growers in the region grow pepper as a mixed crop in their arecanut plantations. They sell both arecanut and pepper to the purchase centres of MASS in Dakshina Kannada district. "Our aim is to supply quality pepper to household customers under the MASS brand name," he said. Already, MASS-branded arecanut packets are a hit in the Gujarat market.

The President of the Karnataka State Apex Co-operative Bank Ltd, Mr M.N. Rajendra Kumar, will launch the retail packets on September 5.

To a query on the sahakari's initiatives in the arecanut sector, Mr Kumar said it was essential to have purchase centres in arecanut-growing areas and sales depots in the consumption areas.

MASS has its sales depot in Ahmedabad and 20 agents in various parts of Gujarat and Maharashtra. There is a plan to open a depot in Pune. Apart from this, several arecanut-purchase centres will be opened in Dakshina Kannada district.

The governing body of MASS has decided to disburse bonus to its grower-members for 2004-05, he said.

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