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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.

Empanelment of 1977 batch IAS officers

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh is all set to clear the empanelment list of 1977 batch IAS officers to the rank of Additional Secretary in the Government of India in a week or two.Those who reportedly figure in the list are Mssrs D K Mittal, G C Chaturvedi,Dr Noor Mohammad,Ms Loretta Mary Vas,P K Sinha,Dr Jacob Thomas,Jagan Mathews,M Haleem Khan,Subhash Kumar,P K Pradhan,Dr Sabsachi Sen,G Bala Chandran,J P Singh,P K Tripathy,Shumsher K Sherrif ,M V P C Shastry,Jannat Hussain,Surajit Mitra,J M Mouskar,Alok Parti,K C Mishra, Krishna Mohan,R N Senapati,Chinmay Basu,S S Brar,Sundraram Krishna,C K Mathew,P K Deb,Alok Rawat,U Sarangi, Rakesh Kackar ,Dr M Sarangi,Ajay Bhattacharya,Vishwapati Trivedi, O P Rawat,D R S Chaudhry,M K Roy,Padamvir Singh,Subodh Kumar,Girish B Pradhan,R N Jha,S K Chaudhry,Sudhir Kumar, B A Coutinho,C S Suranjana, K Jose Cyriac,Naven Masood, R K Mathur,B B Mohanty and A K Jain..

Parimal Rai to be Chairman NDMC

Parimal Rai is taking over as Chairman of the NDMC this week .He is 1985 batch IAS officer of UT cadre.

Jayant Parimal resigns ?

Jayant Parimal is reported to have resigned from the IAS. He is 1989 batch IAS officer of Gujarat cadre.

Major IAS and IPS reshuffle in Punjab soon

A major IAS and IPS reshuffle is expected totake place in Punjab after the Vidhan Sabha session.

Khan to go on deputation to Uttaranchal

Mamnoon Hasan khan is going on deputation to the Uttaranchal Government. He is 1988 batch IAS officer of Manipur-Tripura cadre.

Maharashtra 1991 batch promotions soon

It is excpected that 1991 batch Maharashtra cadre IAS officers will get super-time scale next week.

Sindhushree Khullar to join on April 2

Mrs. Sindhushree Khullar is expected to assume charge of Additional Secretary in the Department of Economic Affairs next week.She is going to be there in NDMC as Commissioner till next financial year's budget was presented.

Defence dealers & co-incidence

It is no co incidence that during the last two years most of the high profile defence dealers are being investigated by multiple agencies.

Dilip Trivedi to be IG Meerut

On return from BSF 1978 batch IPS officer Dilip Trivedi is likely to be posted as IG Of Meerut Zone.

Deshmukh is Information Commissioner Maharashtra

V N Deshmukh will be new Information Commissioner in Maharashtra.

1973 batch IPS gets DG rank in TamilNadu

Two 1973 batch IPS officers K Natrajan and P Rajendran have been promoted to the rank of DG in TamilNadu. On promotion Natarajan has been posted as DGP, Vigilance, TNEB and P. Rajendran as Chairman, Tamil Nadu Uniformed Services Recruitment Board, Chennai.

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. 1977 batch IAS officer of UT cadre Sherrif is likely to be posted in the MCD.

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.

IPS changes in TamilNadu

V. Balachandran will now be ADGP, Training. R. Sekar will now head the Prison Department. Braj Kishore Ravi DIG has been posted to the Social Justice and Human Rights wing, Chennai.

Prof Tapodhir Bhattacharjee has joined as the new permanent Vice Chancellor of Assam University. Prof Gautam Biswas who was acting VC for four months, handed over charge to him

FORUM

What about the other services ?

1974 I A S are being empanelled to Secretary.What about the other Group A services of the same batch who have not been made even Addl Seretaries?Even the accepted 2 year gap is widening to such uncertain future and many of the other Sevice officers retire.The amount of injustice which the I A S heaps on others is unimaginable.Since they occupy all the posts at decision making levels the others are unable to proceed forward in their career.

S K Kohli

IAS training in China

I have set up an office in Dalian China since 5 years. This has given me a first hand opportunity to deal with Chinese Govt machinery and depts. Any body is welcome to email me with his query on China on Specific Issues of Trade commerce and FDI investments . The Indian Bureaucrats are not getting to get much out of the Chinese as you need to understand the chinese mindsets. What you see is not you get .

sunilrallan

Aaj Ki Aawaz

Like I had said IBN has come out with its biased Psephology for UP elections,
And SP is leading as per its projections!!!

Hope people have not forgotten IBN's blatant lies prior to the Punjab elections,
When they prophesized a win for Congress and for Akalis dejections!!!

They take advantage of the fact that there is no accountability in psephology,
And to forget such matters fast is a part of human psychology!!

BSP will form the next Government in UP….. of course will require assistance to do so,
Lets see towards whom , Congress or BJP, for support will Mayawathi go!!!

Seems Kamalnath has been up to a lot of masti,
And he was up to masti as Public's haalath was becoming khasti (bad)!!!

First his Ministry looked away as Exporters exported Dal despite a ban,
And now its come to light in Chana exports a 'favourite's' scam he ran!!

That's because ban on Chana exports was lifted for a few favoured exporters,
And now there are some allegations of favours doled out to some importers!!!

Kamalnath thinks he's the cat's whiskers…… says 'no one dare question me',
But for his jiggery pokery Congress and Sonia will pay the fee!!

Kamalnath boasts of his 10 Janpath connections ….. doesn't even care for Manmohan Singh,
Moral… do whatever you want as long as Sonia's praises you continue to sing!!

Sad part is that as Aam Aadmi buckled under burgeoning inflation,
For some exporters there was cause for elation!!

As we shelled out more for Dal and Channa they laughed their way to the Bank,
Their hearts jumped with joy and seeing the soaring prices our hearts sank!!

So what comes out is that Congress has just been shedding croc tears on inflation,
Because now its more than obvious that this inflation is Congress's creation!!

In Delhi MCD Polls Public will vent their ire,
Against Congress….. as Congress ke jhoote vaade se ho gayi hai Public tire!!!

So its time Congress took stock,
Because now even Congress supporters Congress ko karr rahe hai mock!!

They say this time Congress ka haath,
Maare ga apne hee mooh pe chamaat!!!

What kind of check up is Amrinder undergoing…. he makes it sound indefinite????
He's not coming back and this is definite!!

Seems there's some new test …. every capillary in the body is checked by a special test,
And this test is only available in the West!!!

Amrinder's Medical Certificate will elaborate on this,
Very complicated and delicate test as even a capillary they cannot miss!!

Chahal too has been advised to 'take this test',
He too like Amrinder suffers from 'thathaditis'…. advised ' this test is the best'!!

Amrinder says Badal is a Peasant … but unlike Royalty the Peasant did not run away,
Peasant could have also run away before his persecution but in India he chose to stay!!!

And as Amrinder curses Peasants he forgets Peasants form bulk of the Vote Bank in Punjab,
After this comment …many would say that Amrinder ka dimmag ho gaya hai kaharab!!

Besharam (new title after World Cup loss) Pawar has run Aam Aadmi into the ground,
Because he had no time for his Ministry so Officials say their hands were bound!!

Both as a Minister and President BCCI Besharam Pawar is a total flop,
From both posts he should get the chop!!!

BCCI now is Besharams Controlling Cricket in India……. have no shame,
In India into the ground they've run the game!!!

Now Besharam Pawar says India will have two teams….. what a joke!!!!
They can't select one leave two….even on their selecting one team we want a rokk (ban)!

Save Indian Cricket ….. get these so called Sports Administrators out,
These so called Administrators have stricken Indian Sport with gout!!

If Indian Cricket is to be saved sack Besharam Pawar,
And on his doing anything connected with the game there should be a bar!!

Richest Board's Cricket Team could not make it to the Final Eight,
On what is more important money or cricket there should be a debate???

Advertisers are running helter skelter to withdraw cricketer's ads,
A real liability is how they look at these lads!!!

Indian Teams haalath is….. ghar ke budhu ghar ko aaye,
Aur budhu apne saath laanath ka samaan le ke aaye!!!

Bharat Kumar

Aaj_ki_aawaz@yahoo.com

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CORPORATE

Agrawal to be ED of OBC

K K Agrawal, General Manager of the Bank of Baroda is being tipped to be ED of the Oriental Bank of Commerce.

Mad rush for yearly closing

A mad rush is there many of the Government departments and PSUs is there due to annual closing of financial accounts.Banks,financial institutions and corporates also face a similar situation.

UAE banks to enter in India

UAE banks have a plan to enter India in a big way,

Compulsory retirement recommended

The CVC has recommended Compulsory retirement of a senior officer of the Indian Overseas Bank, Khageswar Phuhan.

India MD of Walt Disney quits

India Managing Director of "walt Disney"Rajat Jain has quit.However,it is learnt that he would continue till his successor was named.

Tarun Kataria to join HSBC

Tarun Ktaria has been appointed head of CIBM by the HSBC in India.

SET India's mantra is stability

At a time when Star India has been grappling with uncertainty over its top brass,the rival SET India Private Limited has decided to continue Kunal Dasgupta as its Chief Executive Officer (CEO).

China evinces interest in a joint venture

A joint venture between two steel majors viz "Steel Authority of India Ltd (SAIL)" &"Wuhan" of China is on the anvil. This was amply clear when a delegation from the Chinese Steel major "Wuhan"led by its chairman Mr. Deng Qilin called on Indian Minister of State for Steel Dr. Akhilesh Das the other day. They are keen on a joint venture in pelletisation and production of high-grade steel. According to Chairman SAIL S.K. Roongta who was present during the meeting the, "SAIL is embarking on an expansion plan and there is ample scope for both the companies to cooperate." Wuhan is the largest state owned steel company in China with a capacity of 20 million tones. It has expertise in making automotive steel and high-grade steel for specialized use.

President's "PURA" in "Growth Poles"

At last Indian President Dr.A.P.J.Abdul Kalam's concept of Provision of Urban Amenities in Rural Areas (PURA) is going to find a place in the growth of the nation. The National Commission for Enterprises in the Unorganised Sector (NCEUS) of which the head is Dr. Arjun Sengupta has proposed the formation of Growth Poles in different parts of the country with a view to integrating with a geographical location a number of clusters of production units engaged in manufacturing services and non-farm activities and facilitating the expansion of production and employment in small and micro enterprises. And these "Growth Poles" would incorporate the concept of the scheme of advocated by President Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam. So far proposals have been received from the States of Chhattisgarh, Kerala, Rajasthan, Uttaranchal, West Bengal and North East.

Do you know?

Do you with an exception of Ritu Kumar, most of the high profile fashion designers of India who globe trot & organize fashion shows in capital cities across the globe file Income Tax returns of an average to the tune of Rs.Two lakh.

Pact between NTPC & KfW of Germany

Power sector major National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) being headed by T.Sankaralingam, has recently signed an agreement for a term loan of US $ 100 million with KfW of Germany at Frankfurt. The loan is an unsecured facility without sovereign guarantee bearing variable interest linked to LIBOR and with a door-to-door maturity of 10 years. These funds would be utilized to part finance the expenditure on Renovation and Modernization (R&M) of NTPC power plants. While previously KfW routed funding for NTPC Projects through Delhi, this is the first loan provided by them to NTPC directly.

Balakrishnaiah appointed Director in Karnataka

Dr M H Balakrishnaiah has been appointed as Director of Karnataka State Remote Sensing Application Centre, Bangalore.