Let’s get to know Daragiri-Kacharipara, Northeast’s first ‘chocolate village’

A good news for chocolate lovers, as the remote village of Daragiri-Kacharipara in Assam’s Goalpara is gaining popularity as a ‘chocolate village.’ The task will be carried out with full cooperation with the district administration. 

Deputy Commissioner of Goalpara district Meenakshi Das Nath has launched a new initiative by planting chocolate tree saplings.

The agriculture department of Goalpara district on April 27 declared Kacharipara village as chocolate village following which 77 farmers have planted saplings in 220 bighas of land allotted for the purpose.

Meanwhile, the district administration is readying itself to provide necessary equipment for the cultivation along with the supply of saplings and fertilizers. 

In light of these proceedings, Daragiri-Kacharipara village has become famous as the only chocolate village in the entire Northeast.

A district level committee has already been constituted with Goalpara district collector as chairman and district agriculture officer as a secretary for successful implementation of the scheme.

“This ambitious scheme is being adopted to strengthen the rural economy through chocolate cultivation and to make the village a model village within Assam by making it a tourist base by creating industries like chocolate making, cake making etc,” Deputy Commissioner Meenakshi Das Nath said.

The move is aimed at expanding home grown chocolates across Assam, as well as Northeast region, Nath added.

Cocoa cultivation is spread over 58 countries. However, African countries contribute about 70 per cent of global cocoa production. 

Coco arrived in India in 1887, but it was in the 1960s that farming began. At that time, cocoa was being supplied by only one company.

However, today the situation has changed drastically. Many international companies have taken notice of procuring Indian cocoa. 

They are also willing to procure at a price higher than the international market price. The changed circumstances are the hope of the cocoa farmers.