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.