Mangaluru: CAMPCO, an eminent multi state cooperative has etched a name for itself through its service to the farmers. CAMPCO, after 45 years of service, strives for the economic growth of the farming community.
Addressing a press meet on Thursday, June 6, CAMPCO President S R Sathishchandra, said that CAMPCO had crossed an all-time high turnover of Rs 1,878 Crore in the financial year 2018-19, apart from achieving record purchases and sales in the history of the cooperative.
During the four months of rainy season, the farmers require Copper Sulphate to protect their arecanut, cocoa and rubber crops. CAMPCO has taken the initiative of supplying CAMPCO brand Copper Sulphate to the tune of 142 MTS to the farmers at a very reasonable rate through all its branches and agent societies.
To overcome the dearth of skilled labourers in arecanut gardens and to create an opportunity for the unemployed youth, CAMPCO in association with the ADRF has arranged for two skill development programmes at CPCRI Kasargod in December 2018 and February 2019. In the skill development programme, 53 youths were trained and majority of them have begun working in the arecanut gardens. Their income has risen three folds after the training.
CAMPCO in collaboration with CPCRI, was conducting research in value addition for its products.
Under the corporate social responsibility, CAMPCO has extended financial aid towards the medical treatment of its members and a total of 31 members have availed this facility. This year, CAMPCO has decided to increase the aid for dialysis to Rs 10,000 from Rs 5,000 last year for its grower members.
In another major move, CAMPCO has extended a monetary compensation to the tune of Rs 50,000 to members, their family and labourers working in the plantation in the event of accidental death.
The chocolate production in CAMPCO Chocolate Factory (CCF) has touched 14606 MTS out of which 10042 MTS is produced for CAMPCO brand . CAMPCO has sold chocolates worth Rs 193 Crore including export of 1106 MTS valued at Rs 16.75 Crore. CAMPCO processes chocolates for other brands which amounts to Rs 10 Crore.
To cater to the increased demand, CCF has recently installed a choco chips–drop chocolate plant of 10 MTS per day capacity, imported from turkey at a cost of Rs. 3.5 Crore in a drive to modernise the factory.
CAMPCO has recently initiated building a state of the art master godown at Kavu, Puttur having an area of 1 lakh sq ft with an inbuilt cocoa processing unit to cater to the foreign market.
To provide sufficient storage space to the farmers in different parts of the arecanut growing regions, the company has proposed to construct master godowns at Baikampady, Belthangady,Sagar and Thrissur during this financial year.
To help farmers increase their income by cultivating intercrops in arecanut gardens, CAMPCO has arranged to distribute 30,000 pepper saplings to its members at subsidised rates.
CAMPCO has its exclusive chocolate kiosks at Puttur and Bengaluru to cater to the local consumers all the varieties of chocolate products.
Towards green environment, CAMPCO has installed windmills which have generated 45 lakh units of power which was nearly 75 percent of the CCF energy requirement.
To meet the present international food safety standards and zoning of food processing area as per FSSAI standards, the CCF has FSSC 22000 (version 4.1), ISO 14000:2015, OHSAS 18001:2007 and ISO 9001:2015 certifications.
CAMPCO is facing challenges from the illegal imports of the arecanut which is pushing the nut’s prices down.
Now a delegation of CAMPCO members, office bearers and other representatives of the arecanut growing areas of Kerala and Karnataka will be meeting the MPs representing the arecanut belt within June 25 and submitting a memorandum to curb the import of illegal low quality arecanut completely. The illegal imports have already stopped after repeated representations by the cooperative earlier.
CAMPCO in future might enter into coconut and cashew sectors as the members have been requesting entry into these sectors and a lot of research work is going on in this direction, said CAMPCO president.
Shankaranarayana Bhat Khandige, Vice president, Suresh Bhandary, Managing Director and Reshma Mallya, General Manager were also present at the press meet.
