CAMPCO to organize national contact programme for farmers

Mangalore Today News Network

Mangalore, November 15: Addressing reporters at a press conference held at the CAMPCO head office in Mangalore, Konkodi Padmanabha, the president of CAMPCO, said that CAMPCO will organize a national-level contact programme with farmers as part of the 58th All India Cooperative Week.

The event will include interactive sessions for farmers with directors of the company, who will visit them at their houses. The cooperative is making plans to contact as many as 10,000 farmers. 

Further, Mr. Padmanabha said that a new mixing plant will be installed at CAMPCO next year and that a total of 23,000 tons of chocolate will be produced. The cooperative also plans to set up a rural training centre for farmers, he added. 

He also said that CAMPCO’s major buyers are Nestle, Cadbury, Nandini, and MILMA. 

Speaking about the problems of the cooperative, he said that it faces shortage of agricultural labor and that 4,10,000 hectares of land in 20 districts is ready for cultivation. 

Regarding CAMPCO’s foray into the power sector, he said that the cooperative has installed two wind energy turbines with a capacity of 0.85 mega watts in Chikkodi district at the cost of Rs 10.36 crore. Around 90 percent of the cooperatives requirements for energy are met by three wind energy plants set up at Hoovinahadagali in Bellary, said Mr. Padmanabha. 

Stating that CAMPCO reports a profit of Rs. 12.86 crore for 2010 – 11, he said that the cooperative has announced 14 percent dividends to its members. The company has exceeded its target by reporting a turnover of Rs. 692 crore in 2010 – 11, he added. 

The company now has a target of Rs. 1000 crore turnover for 2015, which might be met next year, he said.