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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.

Tejinder Khanna to be LG of Delhi

Official announcment of the appointment of Tejinder Khanna as Leiutenant Governor of Delhi is expected to be made in a day or two. He is 1961 batch retired IAS officer.This is for the second time that Khanna will take charge as LG.

B L Joshi to be Governor of Meghalaya !

Lt Governor of Delhi B L Joshi is likely to move to Meghalaya as Governor.

Minister's candidate loses post in DD

Charge of acting DG of the Doordarshan L D Mandloi has reportedly been withdrawn.It is considered to be a big setback to Union Information and Broadcasting Minister Priya Ranjan Das Munshi.

Belliappa to be Vice Chancellor of Arunachal University

President of India is believed to have cleared the name of K C Belliappa for the post of Vice-Chancellor of the Arunachal Pradesh University.

Who will be Secretary to MP Governor ?

Who will be new Secretary to Madhya Pradesh Governor Balram Jakhar?.A panel of three IAS officers Mssrs Abha Asthana, Manoj Goyal and Jaideep Govind has been sent to the Governor.

UP CS gets three months extension
Uttar Pradesh Chief Secretary Shambhu Nath has been granted three months extension beginning April 1. He is 1970 batch IAS officer.
( We said this on March 19 )

Justice Virender Singh to move J & K ?
Grapevine has it that Justice Virender Singh of the Punjab and Haryana High Court is being moved to J & K High Court.

Minutes reach the Railway Board

Restructuring Committee minutes have reportedly reached the Railway Board.

Two PCS officers are DM in West Bengal

On an experimental basis the West Bengal Government has posted State Civil Service officers as DM of Purulia and South Dinajpur Districts.

IAS postings in UP

Mssrs Devraj,Mohammad Mustafa and Chaub Singh Verma will now be DMS of Rampur,Fatehpur and Siddhartha Nagar respectively.

Protest over 'no' to UT cadre officials in Chandigarh

Punjab and Haryana Governments have protested against the decision of the MHA to post only UT cadre officials in Chandigarh.

Gupta is Chief Administrator HUDA

T.C.Gupta on return from central deputation has been appointed chief administrator, Haryana urban development authority (HUDA) relieving S.S. Dhillon.He is 1987 batch IAS officer.

Sudarshan Kumar and Wate promoted as ADG

Two 1981 batch IPS officers Sudarshan Kumar and V K Wate have been promoted to the rank of ADG in Madhya Pradesh. Sudarshan Kumar now be ADG Telecom and Wate ADG SCRB.

Air Marshal Barbora takes over

Air Marshal P K Barbora is taking over on April 2 as AOC Eastern Air Command.

Kumar is DRM of ECR

Binoy Kumar has taken over as Divisional Railway Manager (DRM) of East Coast Railway (ECoR), Sambalpur

IRPS officer wins 50 lakhs in KBC

An IRPS officer Manoj Pande has won 50 lakhs in the KBC.

DAVP releases 16,043 advertisements

Directorate of Advertising & Visual Publicity (DAVP) released a total of 16,043 advertisements to various newspapers throughout the country during the period April 2006 to December 2006. Of these, 903 were display advertisements and the rest were classified advertisements. Some of these include advertisements on: 'Pulse Polio Day', 'Road Transport Week', 'World Health Day', 'Sardar Patel Birth Anniversary', 'Birth Anniversary of Dr. Bhimrao Ambedkar', 'Indira Gandhi Birth Anniversary', 'Consumer Awareness Campaign', 'Income Tax', 'World AIDS Day', 'Eye Donation', 'Blood Donation', 'Children's Day', 'Disabled Persons', 'World Environment Day', 'Independence Day', 'Iodine Deficiency Day', 'World Food Day', 'Human Rights Day', 'National Drugs Abuse Day', etc.

Justice Majumdar moves to Rajasthan HC

Justice P B Majumdar of the Gujarat High Court has been moved to the Rajasthan High Court.

Justice Shethna shifted to Sikkim

Justice Behram Jahanbux Shethna, judge of the Gujarat High Court, has been transferred to Sikkim High Court

Justice Mittal transferred to MP

Justice Viney Mittal, judge of the Punjab and Haryana High Court has been transferred to the Madhya Pradesh High Court.

Two new Additional Judges of HP HC

The President has appointed Kanwar Kuldip Singh and Rajeev Sharma as Additional Judges of the Himachal Pradesh High Court.

Justice Kakru is Acting CJ of J & K HC

Justice Nisar Ahmed Kakru has been appointed as Acting Chief Justice of the Jammu and Kashmir High Court.

Two new Additional PCCF in MP

Two IFS officers R K Dave and R S Negi are being promoted as Additional PCCF in Madhya Pradesh.

Dr Dubey posted at RML hospital

Dr N K Dubey head of the Department at Kalawatisaren hospital has been transferred in RML hospital.

Sinha posted in NEF railway

IRPS officer Anvita Sinha has been posted as APO/mech in HQ, NEF railway

FORUM

Indian team needs to be re-constructed

The Indian team needs to be re-constructed. Players like Sachin, Ganguly, Dravid should be put in spare and new payers given chance. Also the Coach should be given more say in the selection and full charge of selecting the playing eleven. That will make the players respect and listen to the Coach.
Ravi

Government to promote social justice and equity has reserved jobs for
SC, ST and OBC categories and also seats in educational institutions. Supreme Court has stayed the operation of Central Education Institutions(Reservation in Admission) Act 2006 thereby immediately denying the benefit of reservation to OBC candidates in central education institutions. Unfortunately, inspite of government's concern to promote social justice and equity, entry into government service for many reserved category candidates marks the beginning of life long discrimination and hostile treatment at the hands of "meritorious" general category canddates. Reserved category candidates in many cases are given

insignificant postings. For example,
In an organisation while a general category officer facing criminal
proceedings is posted as DDG vigilance and another general category candidate involved in POl scam and facing disciplinary proceedings for major penalty is Additional DG (administration) but no SC/ST officer has been found fit to be posted inspite of having professional competence and unimpeachable integrity. One SAG level SC officer having faced continuous discrimination has accused HOD of exercising "ethnic cleansing". The government should seriously ponder over this also as mere reservation is not sufficient. In addition to officers being sent to China and IIMs for training, general category candidates be also sensitised so that they treat reserved category officers and staff with dignity and not as lesser human beings lacking in "merit". No society can ever be in harmony if its significant part is discriminated and left out.

Sudhir Chopra

TAIL-PIECE

Bubba and Junior were standing at the base of a flagpole, looking up. A
blonde lady walked by and asked what they were doing. "We're supposed to find the height of the flagpole," said Bubba, "but we don't have a ladder."

The woman took a wrench from her purse, loosened a few bolts, and laid
the pole down. Then she took a tape measure from her pocket, took a
measurement and announced, "Eighteen feet, six inches," and walked away.

Junior shook his head and laughed. "Ain't that just like a dumb blonde ?
We ask for the height, and she gives us the length."

Bubba and Junior are currently supervising the reconstruction of New
Orleans

Contributed by-Satish Dewan

Aaj Ki Aawaz

Courts may have stayed Reservation ….. but to Congress OBC's remain thankful,
And with OBC's Congress retains its pull!!

Arjun is pushing for a Judicial Review,
But what will happen if the Review gives the same view???

Will this matter be kept in abeyance till the next census,
Till then both sides will stand at the fences!!!

Mulayam is fighting a loosing battle against anti incumbency,
And very soon he'll be fighting a battle for clemency!!!

Mayawathi says that she'll probe Mulayam's every act,
And hopefully this time on the probe she'll act!!!

Insiders say after haar Mulayam will go abroad for a month or two,
And there with Amar he'll plot and plan what next to do!!!

Hoping as he'll be out of sight he'll not be in Bhen Maya's mind,
Only now a suitable haven SP gang have to find!!!

Besharam (B) Pawar wanted to tie up Punjab Farmer's dono haath,
On their pett he wanted to maaro laath!!

He mandated that Private players should not buy wheat in Punjab,
His logic Punjab Farmer does not deserve any labh (profit)!!!

Why doesn't he do something like this in his Home State???
Won't…… because he knows Farmers there will seal his fate!!!

He's relenting now and trying distance himself from what he said,
Now he says it was just an idea from the top of his head!!!

Punjab's FM says that Punjab is at crossroads…..wrong turn would spell doom,
Now for mistakes there is just no room!!!

He says Punjab could become Japan or Afghanistan,
Its Sushi or sand filled Naan!!!

Last Congress regime made Punjab's debt really shoot up,
All that talk about Mega development was just a Royal gup (fib)!!!

Amrinder started his day with Bloody Mary's and ended with Brandy nightcaps,
It was five years of fun, frolic and making hay for him and his chaps!!!

For five years he just parroted figures and tried to mislead,
He was showing us rosy pictures whereas Punjab karr raha tha badly bleed!!!

And when the time came to face the music he and his Man Friday ran away,
They knew for their acts of omissions and commissions they would be made to pay!!

Now Punjab's FM needs to think about measures for revenue generation,
In fact he has to innovate ……Revenue creation!!!

Stamp Duty in Punjab is only 6% ….. rationalize with HP and Haryana,
And remember all the revenue ne hai Punjab ki Treasury mein jaana!!!

After all why should Treasury not benefit from the Property boom,
Yes for Agricultural Land they can keep some exemption ka room!!!

Questions now being asked in the Dal and Chana ghotala,
Kamalnath ne inquiry kyon taala!!!

Kamalnath was literally forced to order CBI probe,
Seems he did not want ki who are behind the ghotala ho jaaye disrobe!!

Such blatant flouting of the Law…… guilty need to be brought to book,
Though insiders say work in already on so that 'VIP guilty' get off the hook!!!

Our World Cup Cricket team should be sentenced to one year of 'galli cricket',
Everyday , even on Sunday, they should be play on a dusty and pebbly wicket!!!

Companies have withdrawn ads starring cricketers…. negative ads,
Nobody wants to star in their ads our 'fallen lads'!!!

So now our lads spend time at home,
They do not feel it safe to roam!!!

But the main protagonist Pawar roams about freely…. is least affected,
That's because by Z Plus Security he's protected!!!!

Otherwise he'd be able to get loads of both veggies and eggs for free,
People would throw veggies and eggs at him jahaa bhi karthe uss ko see!!!!

Bharat Kumar

Aaj_ki_aawaz@yahoo.com

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CORPORATE

Did I & B Ministry ban CNBC-AWAZ ?

Did the Information and Broadcasting Ministry ban CNBC-AAWAZ for 24 hours on Friday ?.Why the order was withdrawn ?.Anybody, s guess.

Corporate World loses Rs 3000 cr

Corporate World is said to have undergone losses worth Rs 3000 cr due to India's defeat in World Cup cricket tournament.

Compulsory retirement recommended

The CVC has recommended compulsory retirement of a senior manager of Indian Bank P K Philips.

New Industrial Policy for TamilNadu

A new industrial policy is being formulated in TamilNadu soon.