Kerala Agricultural University (KAU) has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Mondelez India Food Pvt. Ltd. (Cadbury) for strengthening cocoa research in the country for the next three years.
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P.O. Namer, Registrar, KAU, and Roopak Bhatt, Director, Mondelez India, signed the MoU in the presence of KAU Vice-Chancellor B. Ashok for ₹5.43 Crore recently.
Professor B. Suma, head of Cocoa Research Centre, and Professor Minimol J.S. will be involved in the project.
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“This has been a continuing project for 37 years. The research output from this project strengthened cocoa cultivation in the county. More than 90% of cocoa farms all over the country have been established with planting materials generated from the KAU as a part of this project. When the world average production is only 0.5 kg dry bean/tree/year, India’s average touches 2.5 kg dry bean, which shows the potential of this planting materials. In addition to this, all-agronomic practices were also standardised under this project,” according to Dr. Suma.
Since cocoa is extending to new areas, the challenges posed by new pests and diseases have to be addressed. Moreover, climate resilient varieties have to be developed to withstand the climate change. All these objectives are covered under this project, which will definitely benefit cocoa farmers in the country, Dr. Suma added.
The other dignitaries present on the occasion were Mike Geary(Director, Mondelez Global R&D team); Michelle Pickering (Global regional partner); Jaswal Varinder (R&D Leader India); Kashyap Poorva (scientist, Mondelez India); Vijaya Kumar (Manager, Cocoa Life); Madhu Subrahmanian (Director of Research, KAU), and Madhan Kumar (Comptroller, KAU).