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Arecanut is an essential commercial crop in India and finds a place in religious, social and cultural functions. The cultivation of Arecanut is mainly confined to the States of Karnataka, Kerala and Assam, but its consumption is spread all over the country. India is considered the largest Arecanut producing country in the world. The total acreage under cultivation is 264000 hectares, and the annual production is estimated at 313000 metric tonnes, with Karnataka and Kerala accounting for nearly 72 % of the total output. Over six million people are engaged in areca nut cultivation, processing and trade. More than 85% of the area under cultivation is made up of small and marginal holdings. A sudden marketing crisis in the year 1970-71, when prices registered a marked fall that caused considerable concern to the growers, was the genesis for setting up this Cooperative venture. Growers had been thrown into panic, with prices coming down by half of what was prevailing till the 1970-71 season.

Various measures were thought of for organized marketing management, and leaders among growers sat together to find a way out. On the advice of an Expert Committee, the State Government of Karnataka recommended organizing a Central Agency in the public or Cooperative sector.

With the blessings and active support extended by the State Governments of Karnataka and Kerala, Central Areca Nut and Cocoa Marketing and Co-operative Society( CAMPCO) was registered on 11th July 1973 under sec.7 of the Karnataka Co-operative Societies Act read with sec.4(2) of the Multi-State Co-operative Societies Act 1984. Through the consistent effort of far-sighted, dedicated and resourceful leaders, with the cooperation and assistance of equally true growers under the guidance of the State Governments of Karnataka and Kerala, this institution took giant strides forward and has turned into a tower of strength to the areca growing community in the country.

CAMPCO has been functioning effectively with the main objectives of Procuring Areca nut and Cocoa grown by member cultivators and, if necessary, from other growers on an agency or outright purchase basis. The Sale of Arecanut and Cocoa and their products to the best advantage of members and advance loans to members on the pledge of goods and do all other things necessary to carry out the objective. To promote and develop Areca and Cocoa cultivation, marketing and processing.

The co-operative encouraged growers to take up Cocoa cultivation as a supplemental crop in the latter half of the 70s. This went on to become a large scale operation with good results. A sudden withdrawal by the buyers of Cocoa from the procurement operations due to a crash in the International market came as a shock to cultivators.

The CAMPCO entered the scene at this stage to rescue farmers from distress and willingly took up the responsibility to enter the cocoa market. As a strategy for survival on the International scene, the CAMPCO played a significant role in establishing a name for Indian Cocoa, which hadn’t been achieved. It procured Cocoa Pods from growers, adopted scientific processing methods to market standards, released dry cocoa beans matching in quality to Ghana, Brazil and other leading Cocoa cultivating nations.

To create a permanent demand and a steady market for the beans, CAMPCO established a Chocolate Manufacturing factory at Kemminje village in Puttur Taluk in Dakshina Kannada district, adopting foreign collaboration in chocolate making.

The factory was set up in 1986 at an initial investment of RS. 116.7 million and a licensing capacity to produce 880 metric tonnes. The factory also entered into a technical cooperation venture with NESTLE( India ) Ltd for diversifying product brands.

It has been making various products, semi-finished items like Cocoa Mass, Cocoa butter and Cocoa powder and finished products in the moulded line, count line, chocolate drinks etc. Campco chocolates have gained extensive market popularity in India.

Starting with its Head Office at Mangalore in Coastal Karnataka, the CAMPCO began with a handful of procurement centres in Karnataka and Kerala. The CAMPCO adopted a safe policy for purchasing and marketing the commodity and maintaining standards in quality assiduously with the dedicated cooperation of a network of diligent officers and workers. The society achieved success by leaps and bounds, stood the brunt of changing trends, market recessions and upheavals, a glut in the market and even national calamities in the marketing field for more than two and a half decades.

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Late Sri. Varanashi Subraya Bhat
Founder President

Sri.Varanashi Subraya Bhat was born in an Agriculturists Family on 8th June, 1927 in a rural area near Adyanadka Village in Karnataka. He worked for rural development and was instrumental in providing his Village with roads, culverts and bridges. He worked for the cause of education and is the Founder Secretary of Adyanadka Education Society (Regd.) His special interest was agricultural marketing, and co-operation. He was elected to the Board of Management of South Kanara Agriculturists Co-operative Marketing Society in 1967 and was its President from 1973-1977. He has also served as the Member of the Karnataka State Agricultural Marketing Board from 1972 to 1975. His pioneer work was to establish the Central Arecanut and Cocoa Marketing and Co-operative Society, popularly called THE CAMPCO.
Arecanut is an important commercial crop in the western districts of Karnataka and almost all the districts of Kerala. When there was a steep fall in the price of arecanut between 1970 and 1973, he mobilised the arecanut farmers of the two States of Karnataka and Kerala and promoted the CAMPCO. The CAMPCO under his stewardship succeeded in uplifting the arecanut market and the farmers are now getting a very good return. Sri.Bhat worked as the President of the CAMPCO from its inception in 1973, up to the end of December 1990.

The CAMPCO is one of the few leading Co-operative Institutions in the Country. He was instrumental in establishing a large, modern chocolate factory at Puttur in the year 1986 to provide an assured market and remunerative price for the cocoa produced in the Country. He has served as the President of All India Arecanut and Cocoa Growers’ Association. He has also served as Chairman of Cocoa and Arecanut Development Committee (Ministry of Agriculture, Govt. of India) and member of Western Ghat Development Committee (Ministry of Planning, Govt. of India). The Government of Karnataka conferred on him “SAHAKARI RATNA”, the top-most award in the co-operative field in the year 2002 for his contribution in the co-operative sector. He also received the prestigious “SAHAKARITA RATNA” award for the year 2005 from IFFCO among his other recognitions.

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SRI. KRISHNAKUMAR H M

Journey traversed in the last four decades…
“Consequent to the sudden marketing crisis in the early 70s, CAMPCO made its advent as a saviour of lakhs of arecanut farmers. In the later days, by withstanding the brunt of changing market trends, upheavals and recessions over the years, CAMPCO now stands tall through its judicious marketing strategy and remains committed to reaching out to many more farmers in the days to come.

In the journey traversed since the last 43 years, with its vast experience and holding capacity, CAMPCO has been striving hard for the welfare of the farmers and continues to do so. CAMPCO has come a long way in extending all-time support to the Farming Community at large.

CAMPCO has, over the years, emerged as a successful cooperative. Let’s all unite and join hands to bring it to further great heights and emerge as a leader in the National and Global Co-operative Sector.

May the persistence and enduring devotion towards this Organization continue, and together let us achieve many more milestones.

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SRI. KISHORE KUMAR KODGI

It gives me immense pleasure to narrate the successful story of this giant Cooperative, and I would like to intensify the all-around performance of our Cooperative in a given time frame. As you know, the Central Arecanut & Cocoa Marketing & Processing Cooperative(CAMPCO) Limited was mainly formed not only to eliminate the menace of middlemen but also to overcome and mitigate the crisis of the -Arecanut and Cocoa- Growers of the States of Karnataka and Kerala; there arose CAMPCO as the apple of the eye in the Cooperative Sector.

—Working on the principles of cooperation, CAMPCO has strived hard to deliver remunerative prices for the farmers’ produce. Offering guidance and support to the Areca and Cocoa Growers, CAMPCO has gone a long way in protecting their interest by establishing one of the most sophisticated Chocolate Factories in South East Asia and further diversifying into other areas like Rubber, Wind Mill etc. Sustainable development cannot be achieved by a single enterprise or the entire business community in isolation, but only by the joint efforts of all concerned can we achieve our goal. With branches spread all over India and an eminent workforce, CAMPCO has tried its level best to reach every doorstep of the Grower members. The latest technological know-how is being imparted to the Growers through seminars, conferences and krishi melas to overcome the lacunae on the availability of information in the agricultural sector.

CAMPCO chocolate brings a smile on every farmer’s face – a sense of pride as it is our very own Swadeshi product giving justice to our Honourable Prime Ministers call for “ MAKE IN INDIA.” I request that the chocolates produced in our factory be accepted by the masses. It may also be recommended for functions and gatherings. The primary raw material Cocoa and Coconut, and the byproduct utilised in these products, are the result of the sweat of the farmers, and the success of these products would be a great reward to the farmers. They are the backbone of our country. The consumption of milk powder and sugar at our factory contributes to such farmers’ well-being.

In toto, we are moving forward with a dedication to achieve the core purpose of improving the standard of life of the communities CAMPCO serves, i.e. Areca & Cocoa fraternity, by giving a remunerative price. I am confident that with the support of all like-minded people, we will scale new heights!

Credit Rating

External Credit Rating for Bank Borrowings 2020-21 2021-22
Long Term Rating [ICRA] A-  (ICRA A minus) CRISIL  A/Stable
Short Term Rating [ICRA] A2+  (ICRA A two plus) CRISIL  A1

ISO Certification

CAMPCO Chocolate Factory is certified with FSSC 22000 (Food Safety Management System), ISO 14001:2015 (Environmental Management System) and OHSAS 18001:2007 (Occupational Health & Safety Assessment Series).

Wind Mill

Fossil fuel burning has contributed to the rise the temperature resulting in a disastrous climate change. As a small step towards reducing its impact, our cooperative has installed a windmill costing Rs. 16.80 crores at Hoovinahadagali Taluk, and Chikkodi in Belgaum District which produces about 40 lakh units of electricity which is pollution-free green energy. This electricity being used at our Chocolate Factory will considerably reduce energy costs. With this installation, 70% of our factory’s power requirement will be met by green energy.

Skill Development Program

The Grower members have expressed concern about the shortage of skilled labour in areca nut plantations. To overcome this problem and create opportunities for the unemployed youth, CAMPCO, in association with the ARDF, have arranged Skill Development Programs, including training on areca tree climbing at CPCRI Vittal during December 2018 & February 2019. A total of 53 youth have been trained, and as per the feedback received, most of them are earning a decent income through this skill.

Research and Development Work

  • On 20/5/1998, a Research and Development Trust with Dr. D. Veerendra Heggade, Dharmasthala as its President and CAMPCO President as the Managing Trustee, has been established.
  • Recently, a brand new Research and Development wing has been opened, and price behaviour analysis has been taken as the first step.
  • ARDF, in association with CAMPCO and Vivekananda Engineering College, has successfully conducted KRISHI YANTRA MELA-I 2009, II–2012, III-2015 & KRISHI YANTRA MELA-IV in 2019, respectively.