Labourers shelling cashew at a processing unit in Kollam.
| Photo Credit: C. SURESHKUMAR
Industries division has provide you with a multi-pronged strategy to assist cashew sector tide over its present disaster and return to being a serious overseas change earner it as soon as was. Apart from offering vital assist to personal processors, the division plans to signal memoranda of understanding (MoU) with cashew producing nations and introduce mechanisation in a phased method to maximise manufacturing and revenue.
“Currently the State government has taken up the responsibility of Provident Fund (PF) and Employees State Insurance (ESI) contributions of labourers working in private factories. It’s for the first time a government is offering such an assistance to private sector to sustain an industry and protect its labourers. Kerala Cashew Board has initiated steps to procure raw cashew nuts through the governments of African countries cultivating cashew. As part of the recently-announced ₹37-crore package, private processors were offered a scheme to close their loans by paying 50% of the principal. Reviving the sector is a challenge, but we are going forward with a solid plan,” Industries Minister P. Rajeev advised The Hindu.
Kerala Brand
In the preliminary part, partial mechanisation might be carried out since cashew is a labour-intensive business using a lot of girls. “It will be implemented to maximise production without affecting the livelihood of labourers,” mentioned the Minister.
Women peeling cashew nuts at a processing unit in Kollam.
| Photo Credit:
C. SURESHKUMAR
While mechanisation is crucial for competing within the world market, the job of all present labourers might be protected. Since only a few kids are becoming a member of the business, the authorities count on the method to be much less problematic sooner or later. The division additionally plans to launch varied merchandise underneath the model of Kerala Cashew and drum-roasted kernels processed within the conventional model might be marketed as a premium signature product from the State.
MoU with Cote d’Ivoire
Since procurement-related points and the scarcity of the uncooked materials had been bogging down the business for a while, Kerala Cashew Board has inked an settlement with Cotton and Cashew Council, Government of Cote d’Ivoire (Ivory Coast).
“This will help us procure high quality raw material at reasonable rates. When we are directly dealing with government agencies we can avoid the involvement of middlemen. Talks are also on with Tanzanian government and we expect a positive response. While the tie-up with cashew producing countries will make the procurement process more hassle-free, it will also ensure optimal results,” mentioned A. Alexander, chairman, Kerala Cashew Board.
