India sets 2040 cocoa self-sufficiency target under new sector roadmap
India’s new cocoa roadmap calls for a national mission, seed gardens, regional hubs and full digital traceability as the country tries to cut import dependence by 2040.
India has outlined a long-term plan to make its cocoa sector self-sufficient by 2040-41 while also positioning the country as a global cocoa processing hub. The Hindu BusinessLine reported that the framework comes from a knowledge paper developed by Grant Thornton Bharat in collaboration with FICCI and launched at a Cocoa Roundtable in New Delhi. The roadmap proposes a phased build-out of production, planting material, traceability systems and value-chain infrastructure.
The first stage covers 2026-28. During that phase, the paper recommends launching a National Mission on Cocoa and establishing a Centre of Excellence for the sector. It also calls for the creation of about 250 hectares of polyclonal seed gardens across states, an early step meant to improve planting material quality and support faster expansion of productive orchards.
The second phase, running from 2028 to 2030, focuses on capacity building. The roadmap proposes regional Centre of Excellence hubs, training for nearly 1 lakh farmers and distribution of around 25 million seedlings. It also calls for a pilot digital farmer registry and a traceability system, signalling that the sector’s next growth phase is expected to rely not only on acreage but also on better data and more transparent supply chains.
The third phase, from 2030 to 2035, would scale the sector materially. The paper says India should raise cocoa area to 1 lakh hectares, improve yields, expand research and development, and put more weight behind processing capacity. By that point, the target is for domestic production to meet 50% of India’s cocoa demand.
The final phase covers 2035-2040. Under the roadmap, that is when India should reach full self-sufficiency, implement 100% digital traceability and begin moving toward net-exporter status. The proposal therefore links farm expansion directly with a broader industrial strategy built around processing, value addition and stronger farmer incomes.
The economic rationale is clear. The paper estimates domestic cocoa demand will grow at a compound annual rate of 5.5%, reaching 4.67 lakh tonnes of cocoa beans by 2040. India currently meets less than 20% of its requirement through domestic production, while annual imports exceed $866 million. Additional Commissioner for Horticulture Naveen Kumar Patle said the recommendations would help shape a dedicated policy framework aligned with Union Budget 2026-27 announcements. For India, the roadmap amounts to an effort to turn a fast-growing but import-dependent market into a more resilient farm and processing segment over the next decade and a half.