Kerala agri varsity: Mondelez rejoices 35 yrs of cocoa research
The Kerala Agricultural University and Mondelez India Foods (formerly Cadbury) are celebrating 35 years of collaboration in cocoa research, a partnership that has significantly advanced cocoa cultivation in India.
Minimol JS, Professor & Head, Cocoa Research Centre, KAU said the university has been at the forefront of this collaboration, providing critical research support that has shaped the cocoa industry in India. The collaboration has now extended its reach to Andhra Pradesh, where cocoa is emerging as a new and promising crop.
Several key initiatives have supported the successful introduction and expansion of cocoa cultivation in Andhra Pradesh. The wide genetic base of germplasm maintained in KAU and utilised as a parental source for hybrid production paved the way for the establishment of cocoa in non-traditional areas like Andhra Pradesh. The pests and diseases affecting cocoa in Andhra Pradesh are addressed in a timely manner by the KAU scientists promoting problem-free cultivation. The team is providing guidelines that cover everything from planting techniques to harvesting, helping farmers optimise their practices, she said.
Recent expansion
The project has recently been expanded to include additional scientists specialising in pathology, entomology, and agronomy. The partnership continues to be a model of academic-industry collaboration, driving agricultural innovation and enhancing the livelihoods of farmers across India, she added.
Roopak Bhat, Director-Cocoa Life India, Mondelez India Foods , said Andhra Pradesh produces more than 8,000-10,000 tonnes of cocoa annually, which is one of the highest in the country. Cocoa farming is helping to improve the farmers’ income multi-fold and creating new employment opportunities especially for women by developing robust supply-chain networks and logistics which is stimulating the rural economy.
Mondelez partnered with KAU in 1980s to do research in cocoa crop science with focus on breeding, pest and disease management and developing Good Agricultural Practices (GAP). Initial expansion of cocoa cultivation was in Kerala and Karnataka’s coastal regions.
With constraints in land availability in the traditional belts, and to expand cultivation, cocoa was introduced in Andhra for commercial cultivation in the 1990s by Mondelez as an intercrop in coconut gardens in Godavari districts. Coconut farming in this region was mainly monocrop and hence there was opportunity to use intermittent spaces in coconut farms for intercropping. Farmers in the region understood the benefits of cocoa as an intercrop as it provided additional income from the existing underutilised land throughout the year. This model has also now been taken up by farmers in oil palm gardens, he said.