Indian Organic Farmers Producer Company Ltd (IOFPCL) is the first producer company of farmers incorporated under the provisions of amended companies act, in 2004.  IOFPCL could provide better farm gate price to the Farmers by reducing the involvement of intermediaries in the value chain. Intervention of IOFPCL is able to link the Indian Cocoa Farmers with the end user of Cocoa, Chocolate Stella in Switzerland.

IOFPCL, which started in 2004 deal in various organic and fair-trade products including cocoa, coconut, coconut oil, vanilla, cashewnut, pepper, coffee, domestically and internationally. IOFPCL exported organic products certified by INDOCERT and FLO- CERT of Germany worth to 2 crores.

IOFPCL is doing business with Chocolate Stella, since 2009 an end user of cocoa in the international market. This company makes dark chocolate, out of cocoa directly procured from farmers of Kerala, which signifies the presence of Indian cocoa in the international market. The Indian single origin chocolate introduced by Chocolate Stella in the International Confectionery Fair(ISM 2011) held at Cologne, Germany is drawing very good response in the international market. The Indian branded chocolate produced by Chocolate Stella is now available in the metro cities of India. Both IOFPCL and Chocolate Stella are looking forward to explore new areas in the cocoa industry including value addition and export of organic and conventional cocoa in future on long term basis. Chocolate Stella imparted training to the farmers in India. The lead farmers from Kerala were trained in Switzerland also on quality improvement aspects of Cocoa and Chocolates. It is pertinent to note that intervention of IOFPCL enhanced the price of cocoa from Rs.16/Kg to Rs.50/Kg.

The visit of  Antony Panakal, Business Development Manager of Chocolate Stella to IOFPCL  and its member farmer groups (Hops Adimaly, Organic Wayanad, Organic Malabar) is the demonstration of the commitment of Chocolate Stella towards supporting the export  activities of Organic and Fair-trade products of IOFPCL.

There is a potential interest for dark chocolate “INDIA” in the world market. Consequently there will be good demand for superior quality cocoa from IOFPCL.

There are around 5000 farmers involved in the activities of IOFPCL and it is expected to increase to 10000 farmers in the current financial year. IOFPCL so far exported 60 tons of organic cocoa, 3 tons of organic vanilla, 16 tons of organic coffee, 22 tons of organic coconut oil, 100 tons of organic pepper, to Switzerland, U.S, and Germany. IOFPCL is expecting 100% growth during this financial year.

Producer Company, which has got all the trappings of a cooperative and flexibility of a public limited company is the ideal model to succeed in the marketing of agriculture produces. Intervention of IOFPCL could provide better farm gate price to the farmers, reduce involvement of intermediaries in the value chain and facilitated presence of India in the international cocoa market.

India is in deficit of 10,000 tons of cocoa and demand for cocoa is increasing in the world, due to various reasons, a comprehensive policy by Government of India for promotion of cocoa industry is absolutely essential including creation of a crop specific autonomous institution with full mandate for its sustainable growth.