September 2026
Naveen Krishna Shastri belongs to a farming family with an ancestral holding of 20 acres in Punacha village in Bantwal Taluk, Dakshina Kannada district, Karnataka. About 10 acres are cultivated with arecanut and coconut, with nearly 1,000 cocoa trees grown as an intercrop. The farm is blessed with perennial streams that serve as the primary source of irrigation, supplemented by borewell water during periods of scarcity.
The family's association with cocoa dates back nearly five decades. Naveen proudly recalls that his father was among the first farmers in the village to introduce cocoa as an intercrop in arecanut plantations. During those days, cocoa fetched a higher price than arecanut, making it an attractive crop for farmers. His father's foresight laid the foundation for what would eventually become the family's successful cocoa enterprise.
Naveen, a graduate in Computer Science, chose to join his father in farming, believing that agriculture offered immense opportunities if combined with innovation and scientific thinking. During COVID-19 pandemic, when the cocoa sector faced an unprecedented crisis, leaving farmers with limited marketing options and substantial financial losses, Naveen looked for ways to add value to his produce. He began experimenting with scientific fermentation and drying techniques, improving the quality of cocoa beans to meet international standards. The results were encouraging, with significantly better flavour and bean quality. When the process was shared on the social media, it caught the attention of a chocolate manufacturing company from Surat, Gujarat. Representatives from the company visited Naveen's farm, evaluated the produce, and soon began sourcing fermented cocoa beans directly from him.
The growing demand encouraged Naveen to expand beyond his own farm. While his farm produces around 2 tonnes of cocoa annually, the company now procures nearly 30 tonnes of cocoa every year. To meet this requirement, he purchases cocoa beans from farmers across the region by paying Rs.20 per kilogram more than the prevailing market price and processes them before marketing. Today, his enterprise records an annual turnover of approximately ₹1.5 crore. Nevertheless, he continues to grapple with challenges like crop damage caused by the Malabar giant squirrel and increasing labour shortages.
Recognising the increasing market demand, Naveen diversified further into value-added cocoa products. His enterprise now produces cocoa powder, cocoa butter, and cocoa marsh chocolate, a 100% dark chocolate made without preservatives or artificial additives. Until recently, cocoa powder production was outsourced, but with rising demand he is now establishing his own processing machinery, enabling greater quality control and reducing production costs.
Apart from cocoa, Naveen has successfully diversified into beekeeping. He maintains around 60 bee colonies, producing nearly 1.5 tonnes of honey annually, which is also marketed through social media platforms. This integrated farming approach not only provides an additional source of income but also enhances pollination within the farm ecosystem.
Social media has become an integral part of his marketing strategy. Digital outreach has enabled him to reach health-conscious consumers across different parts of India. His long term vision is to create greater public awareness about cocoa and establish cocoa beans as a healthy superfood, much like almonds or dates.
Mr. Naveen can be contacted at 9980979909
This story has been put together by Dr Guruprasad, consultant editor, LEISA India
