CPCRI to assess performance of cocoa seedlings from seeds, cuttings and grafts
The ICAR-CPCRI is evaluating different cocoa propagation methods to improve planting material quality for Indian farmers. Experts highlighted the need to expand domestic cocoa cultivation to meet rising demand and reduce reliance on unstable international supply chains.
Why it matters
Expanding domestic cocoa production could strengthen India's agricultural economy and reduce dependence on imports.
The director of the Central Plantation Crops Research Institute (ICAR-CPCRI), Kasaragod, Keralam, K. Balachandra Hebbar, said on Monday that the institute would evaluate the performance of cocoa seedlings raised from seeds, stem cuttings and grafted material on its farm.
Speaking at a workshop on ‘Self-reliant cocoa sector: A roadmap for 2047’ organised by ICAR-CPCRI at its Regional Station in Vitla, Mr. Hebbar said that although vast cultivable areas are available for cocoa cultivation, there is a need to make quality planting material available to farmers.
P. Chowdappa, former director of CPCRI, said India’s per capita cocoa consumption stands at around 1 kg, compared to 11.56 kg in Switzerland, 9.2 kg in the United States, 5.4 kg in Germany and 3 kg in the United Kingdom. Several major cocoa-growing regions in the world were affected by diseases a few years ago, disrupting the global cocoa supply chain, he said.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in