New Kerala brand cashew for Onam

KOLLAM: 'Kerala brand jumbo size cashew,' a new product from the Kerala State Cashew Development Corporation (KSCDC), will hit the market this Onam season. The corporation will also introduce value-added products from cashew, including cashew vita, cashew soup, cashew powder, choco kaju, and milky kaju - all under the Kerala brand. The corporation has also secured the prestigious award 'Kaju India 2017' instituted by the Cashew Exports Promotion Council of India (CEPCI) for these products. The award will be presented by Union Industries Minister Nirmala Seetharaman in the expo to be held in Goa on September 17.

The sales inauguration of jumbo cashew will be conducted by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan at the corporation's factory at Ayathil on Saturday. The jumbo cashew nuts will be of superior quality having a size of W150. Currently, the cashew nuts processed by the corporation are of size W180, smaller than e W150. "The cashew corporation, with its effort to collect indigenous cashew from various public sector farms, including that of Plantation Corporation, could earn Rs. 5 crore from the initiative. The corporation also eyes producing value-added products from cashew fruit," said chairman S. Jayamohan. It had entered into an agreement with the plantations of Kannur Aralam farm, Plantation Corporation and the State Farming Corporation for the supply of raw cashew.

The corporation has also renewed the export of cashew after seven years. As many as five containers of cashew were exported to countries, including Japan and Dubai. It has decided to increase its employee strength by acquiring 3000 more workers for its factories. The corporation, based on the Industrial Relationship Committee (IRC) meeting convened last week, has decided to pay 22 percent bonus, including an ex-gratia of two percent. The employees who remain jobless with the closed factories will be provided an interim relief of Rs. 2000 and free ration of 10 kg rice during this festival season.