The Hindu Business Line : Cocoa acreage to be expanded in TN

COIMBATORE: The Tamil Nadu (TN) government has earmarked Rs 3.37 crore to expand Cocoa acreage to 6,000 hectare during 2008-09, State Agriculture Minister, Mr Veerapandi S Arumugha said on Friday.

The Government, under the National Horticulture mission, has spent rs.1.09 crore to develop new cocoa area in 1947 hectare during 2007-08, for which a subsidy of Rs 11,250 per acre was given to the farmers, Mr Arumugham said.

Cadburys would provide 30 lakh quality cocoa saplings and distribute to the farmers for expanding the area, he said. Inaugurating the two-day national seminar on Cocoa here, Mr Arumugham said that the Government has entered into an MOU wit Cadburys for t echnology transfer and sales of cocoa, by which farmer would get a minimum of Rs 60 per kg of cocoa.

Stating that climatic conditions in Tamil Nadu were suitable to grow cocoa in large-scale, Mr Arumugham said this can be taken up as inter-crop in nearly 3.57 lakh hectare of coconut farms across the State.

By venturing into intercrop, a farmer can get an average yield of 1000 kgs per hectare, he said. A little known commercial crop in India till 1965, cocoa was cultivated in Kerala and Karnataka in about 20,000 hectare during 1970 and 1980 and export of co coa products was started from 1991 to the tune of $65.70 million, Mr Arumugham claimed. - PTI

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