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Ashok Parmar

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Here is an exclusive interview of K P Magudapathy, Head - Cocoa Operations,with Cadbury that is pioneering Cocoa operations in India

1. Who pioneered cocoa cultivation in India? Where did it all begin?

Though cocoa is believed to have been introduced into Sri Lanka and India in the 18th century, Cadbury introduced the first ever cocoa plantation project in India in 1965 through a demonstration farm at Chundale in Wyanad district of Kerala.

2. Since then how many states have adopted cocoa cultivation?

Majority of the cocoa cultivation takes place in Kerala. In addition, Cadbury has also initiated cocoa cultivation in coastal Karnataka and parts of Tamil Nadu gradually extending its wings to the large state of Andhra Pradesh.

3. What are the benefits of growing cocoa as a crop?

Cocoa is an ideal intercrop in coconut, arecanut and oil plam. Cocoa grows well in the interspaces between coconut or arecacnut which otherwise is unused land. Research at the Central Plantation Crops Research Institute (CPCRI) and practice at farms have proven that cocoa and coconut complement each other.

Moreover, cocoa is less labour intensive compared to other horticultural crops. This enables the farmer to earn an additional income without much investment. Another important aspect of cocoa is that it is a perennial crop with peaks in April to June and September to November enabling the farmer to earn during the monsoon season when there is no other income from his farm.

4. How does Cadbury help in Cocoa cultivation?

Cadbury has a team of 42 technically qualified and experienced professionals located strategically in all the cocoa growing areas of South India.

From offering cocoa seedlings at subsidized prices to the farmers to free technical advice on the cultivation practices, Cadbury ensures its participation in every stage of cocoa cultivation. Cadbury's cocoa department produces over 20 lakh hybrid seedlings annually and distributes seedlings to farmers in Kerala, Andhra, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka.

5. Does Cadbury provide any technical assistance to the farmers?

Cadbury's technical staff travel all over the Cocoa growing areas giving farmers advice and assistance in all aspects of Cocoa cultivation. Cadbury's technical team advises and assists the farming community on all aspects of cultivation like planting, upkeep, pest & disease control, organic farm practices, fertilizer application, harvesting and post harvest processing.

6. How does Cadbury reach out to the farmers?

Cadbury adopts an innovative training approach through seminars and field demonstrations similar to FFS (farmers field school) developed by FAO to impart knowledge about Cocoa cultural practices to farmers. It is an interactive and knowledge oriented approach to improve farm management increasing productivity and farmers' income. Farmers are encouraged to share their experience for the benefit of all. The challenge is to reach more farmers and motivate them to take up cocoa cultivation. It is heartening to note that knowledge transfer has taken place to over 65000 Cocoa farmers through the committed team. The testimony of this lies in the fact that the productivity per tree in India at over 1.1 kg is among the best in the world.

Chhering Targay to be CS of Andman !

Chhering Targay is being tipped to be new Chief Secretary of Andman-Nicobar Islands. Chhering is 1976 batch IAS officer of UT cadre.

Naresh Kumar to be Additional Commissioner MCD

Naresh Kumar is being appointed new Additional Commissioner of the MCD. He is 1987 batch IAS officer of UT cadre.

Shumsher Sherrif to return Delhi

Chief Secretary of Andman -Nicobar Shumsher K Sherrif is moving to the Delhi Government. He is 1977 batch IAS officer of UT cadre.

Rakesh Behari is back to Delhi Government

Joint Secretary RD in the Government of India is back to the parent UT cadre.1977 batch IAS officer Rakesh Behari is getting posting in the Delhi Government this week.

Three "NOs" of the US

Like three monkeys of Mahatma Gandhi the US has got three
big "NOs" .They are:

(i)Do not hear any criticism about the nuclear deal from the opposition.

(ii) Do not see towards Iran for the oil pipeline.

(iii) Do not speak or act about any of the financial bunglings by any of the American Companies or institutions in India( pesticide in Colas or tax evasion by American school of Bombay).

A new law in UK for girls on the anvil

If you have a girl child below 21 years of age and she wants to study in United Kingdom then please watch out. The British Government has understandably decided not to give visas to girls below the age of 21 years. Grapevine has it, this is being done to curb marriages of Indian girls with British citizens.

Outsourcing by Indian Embassies

With India's growing Economic power the role of Indian Embassies and High Commissions is reversing. Several of Indian Embassies abroad are now outsourcing visa collection and delivery service.

Alarming existence of certain High profile institutions!

The Indian Government may be striving to ensure that education reaches to poor of the poorest, but there are big sharks who are busy setting up schools on paper & collecting fees. As the grapevine has it there are not one or two, but 40 such schools whose management claims to be pursuing International Baccalaureate (IB) or International General Certificate for Secondary Education(IGCSE) syllabus from the University of Cambridge. Classical examples many. To name one, is claim by a Singapore International School which had set up its shop in Kalina (Mumbai) and the building is being built now in Dahisar (biggest slum of Asia). Likewise a builder from Chembur is busy constructing a swanky structure in Chembur while admissions have already been done. Apart from this an International Baccalaureate Organisation (IBO)official has taken over municipal school in Mazgaon (Mumbai)to turn that into an IB world class school.

Kudos to Judge Kode

The retired Justices & several sitting Supreme Court judges besides High Court Chief Justices have been in private praising P.D.Kode TADA court judge. He won accolades for deft handling of the Bombay bomb blast case of such a massive magnitude .Moreover he is being lauded for single handedly handling the trial and not succumbing to pressure by vested interests or the media.

Two new HC Judges in Punjab

L N Mittal and Gen Nawab Singh are being tipped to be new Judges of the Harynana and Punjab High Court.

Jena elected Chairman

K.C. Jena, Member (Staff), Railway Board has been elected as National Chairman of Chartered Institute of Logistics Transport - India (CILT-India) at its meeting held in New Delhi. CILT-India is part of a world wide organization headquartered in London. The overall objective of CILT is to improve logistics and transportation in all modes like roads, railways, shipping and civil aviation.

IAS changes in Madhya Pradesh

Manish Shrivastava and Vivek Porwal will be Collectors of Shivpuri and Tikamgarh respectively.Manohar Agnani has been shifted to Mantralaya as Additional Secretary.

Emerging trend of movie premieres

The movie premiere in Mumbai have a new trend. The distributors, producers & directors try to ensure that there are no Income Tax (IT) department's notices or any money laundering probe or cases in the lower judiciary. The list of invitees includes the IRS officers, magistrates, media people & top cops. Premiere of the Mira Nair's "Namesake" was a perfect combination of this jugglery, by people in the Bollywood.

New British High Commissioner to India

Richard Stagg has been named as the next British high commissioner to India.

FORUM

Extension to Sen is acknowledgement of capabilities

Extension to Nirupam Sen as head of PMI in the UN is actually an acknowledgement of his capabilities by the MEA. In 1994 (when he was the Senior Directing Staff at the National Defence College)I was fortunate to see closely what a superb diplomat-strategician Nirupam Sen has been. It is a pity he was ignored for the post of India's Foreign Secretary. Lets hope Government doesn't deprive itself of his brilliance at least now, howsoever belated the realisation.
N N Ojha

Dr Mishra is the first Indian who got this honour

Incidently Dr Sanjiv Misra is the first Indian to be conferred the prestigious Lucius Littaeur Fellow for excellence in Academics and for outstanding leadership by the Harvard University. His PHD is on the Political Economy of International Oil
C T Mishra

Weed out corrupt

Manjunath's killer has been sentenced to death and others awarded life imprisonment, but government's resolution filed before Honourable supreme court for giving protection to whistle blowers in Satyander Dubeys murder case has not stopped harassment and victimisation of whistle blowers. Any raise in retirement of government servants without first weeding out corrupt , inefficient and who misuse government resources for personal gains will only mean more misery to common people. It would have been so much better if early identification and removal of corrupt public servants could become theme focus of administrative reforms.
Sudhir Chopra

Aaj Ki Aawaz

The other day I got up in the morning and groped my way to my den. When I entered my den I was surprised to find my two sons , my servant Ramu and my dog Napoleon in the room. Napoleon limped up to me whining, " Boss could you kindly take me out….. my bladder is about to burst." I looked sternly at my servant Ramu but he had a dazed look on his face. I then looked at my sons and they too had dazed looks. I took Napoleon out and outside he filled me in with the details after he relieved himself.

Napoleon: Boss they've been watching the India Bangladesh match till early in the morning…… and you should have heard them shouting during the match and then crying after the match got over!!!
Me: Was very vital for India to win…. but seems from what you've told me and seeing the dazed my boys and Ramu are in India must have lost!!!

Napoleon: Well looks like a simple game of fetch to me……. one guy throws the ball and the other guy hits it and some guys playing fetch try to fetch the ball!!!
Me: You're going to look at it your way…..but today please watch you smart comments lest you want to be clobbered by one of those three mourners in the den!!
Napoleon: What a pack of cry babies…… anyway mums the word ... I've zipped my mouth!!!

We get back into the house and into my den.

Me: Ramu chai lao…… and my boys get up you've got to go to College!!!
My older son (MOS): Dad this is the end of the World!!!
My younger son (MYS): Our World's gone upside down!!!
Me: Listen just let me know….. I hope you've not gone and bet the house or yourselves on the outcome of this India Bangladesh match …….. your reactions are getting me worried!!!
MOS: No Dad………but you won't understand!!!

MYS: Dad you remember when Tiger Woods went through a rough patch and the way you moaned and groaned….. well here its not only the love for the game but love for our Country too!!!
Ramu ( serving me my tea): Sahib zindagi mein mazaa hi nahi rahaa!!!
Me: Oye Mr. Mazaa you know Napoleon would have peed in the house or his bladder would have burst……..in your gloom and doom you forgot to take him out for his morning pee and when I came in he was in pain!!!
MOS: Dad wait till I get my hands on that mutt…… all night he was barking to cheer the Sri Lankan team!!!

Me: Napoleon is that right????
Napoleon: Damn right Boss……. you know my friend Jugaad, that Alsatian who meets me when we go for a walk……… well his boss is a Stock Broker cum Bookie and I've wagered Rs. 100 on Sri Lanka…… I just won Rs. 800!!!
MYS: Namak Haram!!!

Napoleon: Boss my Grandad was a Brit and I support England!!
Me: But England was not playing....mutt why didn't you bet on India ….. why Sri Lanka…… after all don't you live in India????

Napoleon: Well simple .....Jugaad gave me some inside dope that India would lose!!!
Me: I too have this feeling that Bookies and betting run cricket today!!!
MOS and MYS (very emphatically) : No.

Ramu: Naheee Sahib!!! Aisaa matt bolo!!!
Me: You guys should take note of all those betting allegations???
MOS: Dad this is the handiwork of KPS Gill as he wants Cricket's popularity to go down and Hockey's to go up…… he wants IHF to be the next BCCI!!!

MYS: And Dad why should our cricketers get involved with Bookies…. see the money they make as it is…… you known Dhoni's already rolling in money?????
Me: That's exactly what surprises me……. but then they say greed has no limits …… it's what greed is all about!!!!!

Ramu: Sachinoowa hamaara Devta hai ……. he's a Desh Bhagat!!!
Me: And for your info this Desh Bhagat lagaod choona of more than a crore to India's Treasury…… he pleaded for Duty Exemption for his Ferrari and then even pleaded for exemption from paying the paltry Homeginisation fee….. stinking rich and he still did not want to pay the Duty or Fee!!!

MYS: Do you know Dad playing cricket for India Sachin's permanently injured his shoulder and knee!!!
Me: Sonny boy would you like to come with me to any Military Hospital and see for yourself our brave Jawans suffering from worse permanent injuries suffered during the Kargil war…….will Indian Government allow the Father of Capt. Vikram Batra to import anything Duty Free?? The Officials will make him run from pillar to post and in the end Capt. Batra's Dad would just give up!!!!

MYS: Why the hell did they have to take Sehwag….. Kaif would have any day been a better choice??
MOS: What hold has Sehwag got on the Board that despite being such a flop he was still selected????
Me: That's because selection Board is packed with parochial nitwits…. Sehwag should not have been selected but the Selection Board Chairman Vengsarkar aka Colonel , though he's never served in the Army, says Dravid insisted on Sehwag!!! As if the Board has not rejected Captain's choices before…… why couldn't have the Board told Dravid 'no'????

Ramu: Sahib Sehwag se toh achcha humaara Laloo ji ka bitoowa Tejeswani kheltha hai!!!
Me: See this is what I'm saying, everyone has his choices based on his region….. Pawar ensures surnames ending with 'kar' get preference in selection and playing….. that explains Agarkar's presence and Irfan Pathan being benched so that Agarkar played!!

Ramu: BCCIoowa ke sabh Member ko resign karna chahiye…. Laloo ko BCCI ka in-charge banaana chahiye!!
Me: Make Pawar resign…… they'll have to drag him out howling and shouting…… he does not believe in taking the responsibility for his failures!!!
MYS: But then now what will they do???

Me: Manager will submit his report…… then BCCI Board will have meetings on this Report in Five Star Hotels in Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai and Delhi !!!! After this they'll appoint a Selection Committee to appoint an Expert Committee to make recommendations on the Manager's Report…….. this Expert Committee will submit its report in one year and then a Review Committee will be appointed to go into this report……… all Committees will hold meetings in Five Star comfort and again all over India…..four and a half years hence and a few hundred crore Rupees poorer and still in the dark about the previous World Cup loss BCCI will select the team for the next World Cup!!!

MYS: Dad that gives me an idea ….. for our Results we should follow this example…… when our results come in please appoint Dada ji and Dadi ji as the expert Committee to look into our results and their report should be reviewed by a Committee comprising of Nana ji and Nani ji….

Me: And don't forget I as Dad have the Veto power to overrule all reports……. I'm just appalled that a bunch of jokers fool about with the sentiments of our Nation and in the bargain become stinking rich and families of boys who give up their lives or become handicapped protecting our Nation live literally in penury!!!

MOS: Dad you always get too 'senti'!!!
Me: And in this farce known as cricket you guys become 'mental' ..... you are just part of this cricket loving Nation which goes mental too!!!

Bharat Kumar
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CORPORATE

Vacancy of ED in Tobacco Board

Application has been invited from the senior Rly Officials for the post of ED in Tobacco Board, Guntur.

Kuppam is MD of Intel Capital

Sudheer Kuppam has been appointed Managing Director of the Intel Capital. He will be based in Bangalore.

NALCO to get new status

Government has decided to confer the `Navratna' status on National Aluminium Company Limited (NALCO).

Tenure of Das extended

Sebi has extended the tenure of Tushar Kanti Das for one year as the administrator of the Calcutta Stock Exchange.

Reguraj is CII Chief Karnataka

N. Reguraj has been elected Chairman of CII Karnataka for 2007-08.

Krishna appointed KSSIDC Director

H.V.S. Krishna, president, Laghu Udyog Bharathi has been appointed Director of the Karnataka Small-scale Industries Development Corporation (KSSIDC).