Western Ghats Kokum Foundation - Organic Farming Association of ...

Annexure
Western Ghats Kokum Foundation
Till recent past, there had been no specific and systematic efforts to promote
cultivation of Kokum (Garcinia indica Choisy) throughout the coastal regions of
Maharashtra, Goa, Karnataka and Kerala. While considerable attention z-s been paid in
promoting mango and cashew along with existing coconut, with ir.ous subsidized schemes
as major fruit crops of the region, Kokum was conveniently relegated to the status of minor
fruit crop or spice and thus neglected. It was the farming community of Ratnagiri and
Sindhudurg districts of Maharashtra, Sahyadri adjoining talukas of Goa, Sirsi, Ankola,
Puttur and five grounding areas of Karnataka whose livelihood to some extent depended on
Kokum kept the natural cultivation and processing going.
The Western Ghats Kokum Foundation (WGKF) was established with a mission to
promote and broadcast globally Kokum as a commercial medicinal fruit produce of the
Western Ghats region, and in turn assist in bringing additional 50.000 hectare land under
Kokum cultivation by year 2010. The Western Ghats Kokum Foundation was formed by a
group of horticulture enthusiasts of the region as a registered non-governmental Agro-Eco
Promotion Society in Goa during 2001.
The timely initiative taken by Western Ghats Kokum Foundation with help from Dr..
Balasaheb Sawant Konkan Krishi Vidhyapeeth, Dapoli, Maharashtra, resulted in organizing
the first ever National Seminar on Kokum in Vengurla, Maharashtra, in May 2001. This
brought Kokum into focus and set the momentum rolling with scientific evaluation of elite
varietal selection, propagation, quality grafts production and their supply to farmers of the
region, etc., the activities being partly sponsored by the WGKF. Simultaneously the
Foundation promoted development of non-traditional value-added products such as
Kokum wine with a research project to Goa University. The international attention that
Kokum, with its Hydroxy Citric Acid content, is 'receiving as an anti-obesity fruit has
resulted with one of the WGKF associates receiving trial order from a EU country, of
supplying 300 tonnes of Kokum juice during the current year.
In the last two years, governments, both at the center and the state level have taken
notice of the potential of Kokum cultivation and processing in the region and accordingly
initiated implementing various schemes through District Rural Development Agencies,
Agriculture and Forest Departments, Self-help Groups and progressive farmers. Recent
recognition that Kokum is a fruit tree rather than a spice, by the National Horticulture
Board, Government of India, is a welcome change.
Specific Objectives of the Foundation are:
1. To promote research and development in propagation, cultivation and commercial
exploitation of Kokum, particularly throughout the Western Ghats of India and in
general around the country.
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Resource Book on Kokum (Garcinia indica Choisy)
Western Ghats Kokum Foundation, Panaji - Goa