Coca Cola Company (KO)

[johnsyn]

Jain Irrigation and Coca-Cola to invest US$2mn in mango project

India Infoline News Service / 14:09 , Sep 14, 2011

The project will encourage sustainable, modern agricultural practices and help double mango yields, thereby increasing the income of the farmers.

Jain Irrigation Systems Ltd. said on Wednesday that the Company and Coca-Cola India have launched "Unnati" - a partnership project with farmers for large scale high yield mango cultivation.

The project will encourage sustainable, modern agricultural practices and help double mango yields, thereby increasing the income of the farmers.

Ultra-high density plantation (UHDP) is a farming practice that leads to mango orchards attaining their full potential in 3-4 years and also allows nearly 600 trees to be planted in an acre instead of the conventional method of planting 40 trees in an acre.

During the first phase of the project, 200 demo farms of size between 1 and 3 acres will use the UHDP technique for mango cultivation while also utilizing the benefits of drip irrigation.

The first phase has an investment outlay of US$2mn and will be shared equally between Coca-Cola India and Jain Irrigation.

The first phase will begin with ultra-high density mango farming in select farms in Chittoor and Cuddappa districts of Andhra Pradesh. The area is renowned for its production of the Totapuri mango - a key ingredient in Coca-Cola made mango drink "Maaza".