The Central Arecanut and Cocoa Marketing and Processing Cooperative Limited (CAMPCO) has unveiled an ambitious expansion plan aimed at scaling up arecanut procurement and sales operations across multiple Indian states. Currently operating primarily as an inter-state cooperative representing arecanut growers from Karnataka and Kerala, CAMPCO intends to extend its supply chain infrastructure, collection centres, and market linkages into other arecanut-producing regions of the country.
Arecanut, commonly known as betel nut, is a crop deeply woven into the agricultural and cultural fabric of southern India. Karnataka alone accounts for the lion's share of national production, followed by Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and Karnataka's neighbouring districts. Despite the crop's economic significance, many growers have historically relied on a fragmented network of middlemen, leaving them vulnerable to price volatility and uneven returns.
CAMPCO, registered under the multi-state cooperative society framework, has long served as a critical marketing interface for farmers in its home states. It operates procurement centres, processes arecanut for domestic and export markets, and provides price stability through structured buying. The cooperative is headquartered in Hubli, Karnataka, and has over five decades of operational history behind it.
The fresh expansion drive signals CAMPCO's determination to create a more inclusive procurement network that reaches growers in emerging arecanut-growing belts beyond Karnataka and Kerala. Officials indicate that the organisation will set up new collection points and strengthen logistics corridors in states where arecanut cultivation is growing, including parts of Maharashtra, Odisha, and northeastern states.
Industry observers note that a stronger cooperative presence nationwide could help standardise quality grading, reduce exploitation by commission agents, and improve realisation prices for small and marginal farmers who dominate arecanut cultivation. The move also aligns with the central government's broader push to empower farmer producer organisations and cooperative marketing structures.
CAMPCO's expansion comes at a time when arecanut prices have witnessed sharp fluctuations due to monsoon uncertainty, changing consumer preferences, and regulatory scrutiny around gutka and tobacco-linked chewing products. Experts say that a robust cooperative marketing model could buffer growers against such market shocks while keeping the traditional supply chain intact.
