Mondelez International, the owner of the Cadbury brand, is expanding cocoa cultivation in South India as African cocoa supplies face challenges. The company is also considering introducing cocoa cultivation in the North Eastern parts of India.
In a partnership with institutes such as the Central Plantation Crops Research Institute (CPCRI) and the Kerala Agriculture University, Mondelez India Foods Pvt Ltd is working to provide seedlings and develop cultivation practices for cocoa. Cocoa has traditionally been grown as an inter-crop in coconut plantations in India and is now being cultivated as a mono crop in certain areas of Andhra Pradesh.
K B Hebbar, Director of ICAR-CPCRI, mentioned that there is a high demand for cocoa planting material due to increased prices in recent years. The institute is working with Mondelez India to develop cultivation practices and provide quality planting material to farmers. Currently, cocoa cultivation in India covers approximately 1 lakh hectares, but there is potential for expansion.
Apart from Mondelez, other buyers such as Nestle and domestic chocolate manufacturers source cocoa from the Indian market. Mondelez mainly relies on imports from Africa to meet its cocoa requirements as domestic production is low. However, African cocoa production is declining due to inadequate crop management and irrigation practices.
In India, systematic management practices are being implemented to improve cocoa production and productivity. Farmers are exploring cocoa cultivation as an intercrop with crops like oil palm and banana in different regions. Andhra Pradesh leads in cocoa production, followed by Kerala, Karnataka, and Tamil Nadu.
Overall, there is a growing interest in cocoa cultivation in India, driven by increasing demand and favorable prices. By expanding cocoa cultivation in South India and exploring opportunities in the North East, the country aims to reduce its reliance on imported cocoa and enhance domestic production.
