Latest news with #Kodgi
The Hindu
5 days ago
- Business
- The Hindu
CAMPCO all set to enhance production capacity of its chocolate factory by investing ₹24 crore
The Central Arecanut and Cocoa Marketing and Processing Cooperative (CAMPCO) Ltd., Mangaluru, is all set to increase the production capacity of its chocolate factory at Puttur by investing about ₹24 crore. According to A. Kishore Kumar Kodgi, president of the multi-State cooperative of Karnataka and Kerala farmers, the production capacity of chocolate refinery and the cocoa butter pressing unit at the factory will be increased by investing ₹8 crore and ₹16 crore, respectively. 'Our target is to enhance the total production capacity of the factory from about 13,704 MT to about 19,000 MT,' Mr. Kodgi told The Hindu. Following the board's approval the machinery upgradation at the factory has begun, the president said adding that it is likely to be over by this year end. The cooperative now manufactured 36 cocoa products, with six premium ones, at its factory. Production The CAMPCO produced 12,579.20 MT of cocoa products under its own brand during 2023-24. The production under job-work arrangement during the same financial year was at 1,093.20 MT. Mr. Kodgi said that the cooperative recently stopped manufacturing chocolates for some major private players in the chocolate market under job-work arrangement at the factory. 'Once the upgradation is over, our plan is to make full utilisation of the factory's capacity for producing only own brand of cocoa products,' the president said. The cooperative sold cocoa products worth ₹345.07 crore (net) including ₹68.35 crore under finished/retail chocolate product segment, ₹259.55 crore under industrial chocolate product segment, ₹17.17 crore under export account and ₹2.79 crore under other sales. The processing charges collected on job-work arrangement amounted to ₹3.25 crore. According to the annual report of the cooperative, it procured 1,762.36 MT of wet cocoa beans valued at ₹13.37 crore in 2023-24. The dry beans purchased during the same year stood at 5,249.26 MT and it was valued at ₹140.79 crore. The CAMPCO distributed 27,555 of cocoa seedlings to grower members at subsidised rate during the same financial year. The cooperative launched three new chocolate products — Dark Delight Dark Chocolate, Dome Delight Premium Truffles, and the Campco Orange Eclairs – on its Founders Day on July 11.
The Hindu
02-07-2025
- Business
- The Hindu
Ahead of GST Council meet, cooperative bodies marketing arecanut seek tax cut to 5% on copper sulphate
With the 56th Goods and Services Tax (GST) Council meeting likely to be held in July, cooperative bodies marketing arecanut in the State have sought a reduction in GST on copper sulphate from a maximum 18% to 5%. Copper sulphate is a major ingredient in Bordeaux mixture, a fungicide used to control 'kole roga' (fruit rot disease) in arecanut plantations. The disease hits arecanut plantations when there is incessant heavy rains. The mixture is also used to control fungal diseases in crops such as coffee, rubber, cardamom, pepper, and ginger. Arecanut farmers in coastal, Malnad belts and in some districts of central Karnataka are highly dependent on copper sulphate to control the disease. Karnataka largest producer The Union Minister of State for Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare Ramnath Thakur told the Lok Sabha on March 18 that Karnataka ranks first in arecanut production with 10 lakh tonnes from 6.8 lakh hectares out of a total production of 14.11 lakh tonnes from 9.4 lakh hectares in India, as per final estimate for 2023-24. A. Kishore Kumar Kodgi, president of the Central Arecanut and Cocoa Marketing and Processing Cooperative (CAMPCO) Ltd, Mangaluru, told The Hindu: 'We have been writing to the Union government to revise the GST for copper sulphate from 18% to 5% since 2021, but to no avail.' Copper sulphate price up He stated that this year, CAMPCO has been selling copper sulphate to its grower members at ₹330 per kg, compared to ₹310 per kg last year. Private traders are selling it above ₹350 per kg. The price increased this year due to higher copper scrap prices and also due to the classification of copper sulphate as an industrial product rather than a fertiliser. Industrial products are taxed at 18% GST, while fertilisers attract a lower 5% GST, Mr. Kodgi said. The copper scrap, which was available at around ₹400-450 per kg (plus GST) in 2020, now costs around ₹850 per kg (plus GST). In addition, sulphuric acid, used in the manufacture of copper sulphate, which cost around ₹9,000 a tonne in 2024, now costs around ₹17,000 a tonne, pushing the prices of copper sulphate up, he said. Multiple GST rates 'Multiple GST rates (5%, 12% and 18%) on products used for the same agricultural purpose (crop nutrition and protection) create classification ambiguities and compliance challenges,' Mr. Kodgi said. Elaborating on this, he said copper sulphate is listed under Chapter 28 with HSN code 28332500 as a sulphate, attracting 18% GST. It is also categorised under the same chapter without an HSN code as a micro-nutrient, attracting a 12% GST. When classified as a fungicide under Chapter 38 with HSN code 3808, it attracts 18% GST. 'Uniform GST rate of 5% for all agricultural inputs, including copper sulphate, would ensure fairness, clarity, and affordability,' Mr. Kodgi said, adding that lower taxation will benefit many farmers. Introducing a distinct HSN code or unified classification for copper sulphate used in agriculture would eliminate interpretational issues and streamline taxation, he said. Benefit to farmers Mahesh Hulkuli, vice-president of the Shivamogga-based Malnad Areca Marketing Cooperative Society (MAMCOS) Ltd, said that if the GST rate is slashed to 5%, then cooperatives can sell copper sulphate to farmers at approximately ₹280 per kg. Then, private traders will be forced to lower their selling rate, too, he said. A delegation of arecanut stakeholders will meet Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman soon, although the cooperative institutions of Karnataka have been making this demand of the government for a long time, he said. Gopalakrishna Vaidya, president of the Sirsi-based Totagars' Cooperative Sale Society (another arecanut cooperative), said that if the GST rate is revised to 5%, it will help lakhs of small and marginal growers. 'We have given a representation on the same to Revenue Minister Krishna Byre Gowda, who represents Karnataka in the GST council,' he said.
The Hindu
14-05-2025
- Business
- The Hindu
Wild mango makes it to vacuum-fried food industry
Wild mango has now made it to the vacuum-fried food industry. Gokul Fruits Pvt. Ltd, a food processing unit located at Ulloor 74 village in the Kundapur taluk of Udupi district, has begun making vacuum-fried chips of two wild varieties of mangoes, in a value addition to the fruit. The Director of the company, Rohith Kodgi, told The Hindu that two wild varieties of mango, which are locally called Malbar and Bhatkal, were used to make the chips. 'Its production is highly labour-intensive as there is no machine available for peeling mangos and it has to be done manually,' Mr. Kodgi said. Referring to the yield of chips, he said it is only 10%. This means that 10 kilograms of chips can be produced from 100 kg of mangoes. Mr. Kodgi said that the company recently released the product into the market in Bengaluru and Goa. He added that the Malbar and Bhatkal varieties are available for production for only about two months—from the third week of April to the first week of June. The chips can be stored and used in cold conditions for up to six months. The Director said that the raw mango varieties used by the industry for making chips were otherwise being used for table purposes. Some traders sell them in the Mumbai market. 'Since we began purchasing the mangoes from them this year, the farmers are getting additional income,' Mr. Kodgi said. 'The two varieties [Malbar and Bhatkal] are free from worms. It is an added advantage for making the chips.' Referring to the nutrient contents of chips (per 100 grams), he said that it has 54.64 grams of carbohydrates, 40.3 grams of total fat, 5.6 grams of crude fibre, 1.38 grams of total protein and 586.35 (kcal) energy. He said that some hybrid varieties of mango can be used for making vacuum-fried chips. Since those mangos are costly, their production cost will also be higher. Gokul Fruits Pvt. Ltd. began making vacuum-fired chips of jackfruit in 2006. 'Now we make between 8,000 kg and 10,000 kg of jackfruit chips per season,' Mr. Kodgi said.
The Hindu
12-05-2025
- Business
- The Hindu
Amendment of roasted arecanut import policy helped increasing the price of low-grade arecanut: CAMPCO
The Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT), amending the import policy on roasted arecanut through a notification last month, has resulted in the prices of low-grade variety 'chali' arecanut shooting up in the domestic market, according to the Central Arecanut and Cocoa Marketing and Processing Cooperative (CAMPCO) Ltd. Since the DGFT notification, the prices of low-grade arecanut varieties such as the 'kari gotu' have increased by 50% (from ₹100 to ₹150 per kg), 'pathora' by 16.66% (from ₹300 to ₹ 350 per kg) and 'ulli' by 38.88% (from ₹180 to ₹250 per kg), A. Kishore Kumar Kodgi, president, CAMPCO Ltd, Mangaluru, told The Hindu. The revised policy has recategorised roasted arecanut to 'prohibited' from 'free'. In its notification on April 2, the DGFT brought it from under the Indian Trade Classification (ITC) Harmonised System (HS) Code 08028090 and 20081920, to a single Code 08028090 which covered all kinds of processed arecanut, including roasted arecanut. Since there is a uniform HS code for the import of arecanuts, the import of low-grade arecanuts has become costlier, Mr. Kodgi said. Upward trend continues The CAMPCO president said that the domestic arecanut market has maintained an upward trend since the beginning of this year, owing to the drop in production during the harvest season between December 2024 and March 2025. Mr. Kodgi said that farmers have reported crop loss ranging between 60% and 70%. He said that if the price of 'hosa adike' ('chali' harvested in the current season) went up by 31.4%, from ₹350 a kg in January to ₹460 a kg on May 12, the price of 'single chol' (harvested a year ago and stocked) increased by 9.89% from ₹455 per kg to 500 a k.g. on Monday. 'Expecting that prices will go up further, the farmers are not releasing the produce into the market. Hence, there is stability in the market,' the president said. Mahesh Puchchappady, president of the All India Areca Growers' Association, Puttur, said that the drop in production this year's harvest season is attributed to climate change. As this is the fruiting season, any extreme change in the climate during the next fortnight, before the onset of monsoon, will be crucial in deciding the crop production for the next harvesting season. The next season's production will also depend upon the severity of 'kole roga' (fruit rot disease) in the plantations in this monsoon, he added.
