Puttur, August 11,2025: The Central Arecanut and Cocoa Marketing and Processing Co-operative (Campco) is proactively engaging with the Indian government to address the issue of black pepper smuggling from Sri Lanka and Vietnam, as stated by Campco's president, Kishore Kumar Kodgi. At an awareness camp and conference focused on black pepper and coffee farming, which took place at Subhadra Sabhabhavana in Puttur on Sunday and was organized by the Dakshina Kannada and Kasaragod Districts Black Pepper and Coffee Growers’ Federation, Kodgi emphasized Campco’s initiatives to ensure price stability for arecanut, black pepper, and cocoa.
Campco’s Push for Price Stability and Crop Quality
Since the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic, Campco has been crucial in averting a collapse in arecanut prices. Kishore Kodgi underscored the persistent endeavors of the cooperative to uphold a consistent market rate for such agricultural produce. He called upon farmers from both Dakshina Kannada and Kasaragod to prioritize superior quality in their cultivation of black pepper and coffee as a means of bolstering their financial futures. Moreover, he mentioned that MP Brijesh Chowta is actively engaging with experts from the Central Plantation Crops Research Institute (CPCRI) to investigate the potential of introducing coffee as a substitute crop for arecanut, which currently encounters issues such as prevalent diseases within the region.
Exhibition Showcases Plants, Farming Innovations
The event showcased a series of expert-led discussions, where Venugopal, an esteemed scientist from the All India Black Pepper Growers’ Association, presented comprehensive information on innovative techniques for black pepper cultivation and conservation. Additionally, H.S. Dharmaraj, the leader of the Seven Bean Team, contributed valuable insights into the realm of nutrient management, specifically tailored for the dual cultivation of coffee and black pepper. Peruvodi Narayana Bhat, the esteemed head of Shri Siddhi Agri Company in Indore, enlightened the audience with his profound knowledge on arecanut cultivation practices and the importance of nutrition for optimal growth.
Farmers Suresh Balnadu and Aravinda Mullankochchi Alankaru, along with the innovative duo Prasad Rai and Peruvodi Narayana Bhat, were honored at an event. Among the notable guests present were Venu Gopala Kaleyatodi, a prominent black pepper farmer, and Anantharamakrishna Pallathadka, a pioneer in black pepper cultivation on dhoop trees. Additionally, the event featured the presence of Komale Ganapathi Bhat, known for inventing an arecanut tree-ascending device, and Swapna Sediyapu, an experienced agriculturist with a focus on grafted black pepper farming.
The event, coordinated by the federation’s secretary Abhijit Puttur and committee members Govind Bhat Bayari, Ajit Prasad, and Sediyapu Janardana Bhat, featured a welcome address by federation president Shashi Kumar Bhat Padaru, a vote of thanks by Shri Krishna Prasad, and was hosted by Rakesh Kumar Kammaje.
The conference wasn’t just about discussions. It also featured a lively marketplace. Attendees could find everything from mango, jackfruit, and sandalwood (yes, both standard and red) to custard apple, sapota, pomegranate, nutmeg, mangosteen, orange, lemon, jamun, and mosambi. Exhibition stalls showcased organic fertilizers, specialized black pepper harvesting ladders, processing machines, Ayurvedic products, cement poles specifically designed for pepper cultivation, monkey-repellent devices (a real necessity in some regions), drip irrigation systems, banking services, and even organic ice cream. It felt less like a standard conference and more like a dynamic intersection of agriculture, innovation, and business networking.
Keywords: Puttur News, News Puttur, Suddi Puttur, Puttur Suddi, CAMPCO, black pepper, coffee cultivation, Puttur, Dakshina Kannada, Kasaragod, arecanut, price stability, smuggling, farming, agriculture, coffee farming, nutrient management, plant exhibition, organic farming
