COCOA CULTIVATION IN TAMIL NADU _ TIRUNELVELI & KANNIYAKUMARI Districts

Cadbury's Role In Indian Cocoa Cultivation
The year 1965 marked the turning point for cocoa in India, When Cadbury Pioneered Cocoa cultivation by establishing a demonstration farm at Wynad in Northern Kerala.
The company offered Cocoa seedlings at subsidized prices to the farmers and free technical advice on the cultivation practices Thus Planting of Cocoa was taken up in Kerala, Coastal Karnataka and parts of Tamil Nadu initially and later spread to the state of Andhra Pradesh.

Coconut growers in Tirunelveli & KanyaKumari Districts (Tamil Nadu)
can take advantage of free Cocoa seedlings and inputs provided by the Horticultural Department through National Horticultural mission schemes. Under this scheme farmers get a subsidy of Rs.11, 250-/- per Ha in the form of free seedlings and inputs.

Cocoa can be grown as intercrop in Coconut Gardens for Additional Income
Cocoa is an ideal inter crop in coconut Gardens. Cocoa and Coconut compliment each other, rather than compete with each other When Cocoa is planted as inter crop in an established Coconut farm. Thus the Coconut yield improves. Cocoa is less labour intensive compare to any other Horticultural Crops. This Enables farmer to earn to additional income with out much investment on inputs and Labour and with any investment on land. Another very important aspect of Cocoa is that it is a perennials crop with peaks in April to June and Sep to Nov Enabling the farmer to earn during monsoon while there is no income from his farm

For Timely Technical Supports-Please Contact me
M.ASHOK KUMAR Msc., Agri Microbiology
Cadbury India Ltd.
91 944 3622835