In a move that would boost rubber and pepper market, the Central Areca nut and Cocoa Marketing and Processing Cooperative Ltd (Campco) is embarking on a diversification path.
Addressing presspersons here on Friday, Campco president S.R. Satishchandra said Campco would set up a rubber factory and also begin procurement of pepper soon.
The move to set up rubber unit is in the preliminary stage and its location is yet to be decided, he said adding that the proposal is being taken up seriously to protect the interests of the rubber growers.
Campco, which plays a major role in stabilising the prices of areca nut and cocoa, is on the course of procuring pepper shortly, he said.
Campco plans to distribute pepper vines to farmers to ensure top grade producers, he said.
Export to China
Mr. Satishchandra said Campco would soon begin exporting semi-processed tender areca nut to China where it would be used to manufacture mouth fresheners. Fruitful talks have been held with a company in Hu Nan province, which is not able to procure the produce locally. It would stock the produce from Karnataka’s Udupi and Dakshina Kannada districts besides Kasaragod, he said. The farmers will have to harvest tender nut of 40 to 50 days growth, and the nuts would be boiled and dried up before exporting. Campco has set up a drier at its Puttur unit in Dakshina Kannada.
