KOLLAM: The state-owned factories under the Kerala Cashew Development Corporation have been shut owing to non-availability of raw cashew. The authorities say that the allegations spread by a section of private owners and their agents that the corporation is in crisis made the suppliers stop providing raw material to the corporation.
"All the dealers of the last 10 years are in the accused list due to unnecessary controversies and inquiries. Genuine dealers hence abstain from supplying raw cashew and purchasing processed kernels from the corporation. Even the dealers who enter into contract with the corporation fail to provide raw cashew fearing controversies and inquiries," Mr S. Jayamohan, Cashew Corporation chairman, said.
"The corporation can become the top institution that provides the highest number of jobs to its workers if unnecessary controversies are avoided. Those who attempt to take out the business to neighbouring states spread the charges that the cashew sector is in crisis. Some of the private owners who deny benefits and rights of the employees are also behind this," Mr. Jayamohan added. The corporation currently has a liability of Rs 56 crore as gratuity and Rs 6 crore as PF dues.
Out of a total 30 factories, 20 were acquired by the corporation on rental basis. Those were priced by district collectors and will be own factories once the corporation pays Rs 69 crore. The corporation currently has 12,000 employees. It has provided 60 days of work to employees after the new board assumed office. Meanwhile, the? cashew workers under the CITU on Friday conducted a protest march to the head office of VLC, one of the largest cashew processors in the private sector that provides job to over 10,000 employees, demanding reopening of cashew factories.
Workers struggle for survival as unions and owners fight
The cashew owners and the trade union leaders in the district have landed the workers in huge trouble due to their failure to solve the labour issues in the private factories. The cashew workers have been on an indefinite hunger strike in front of the private factories for the past 35 days demanding to reopen the closed factories. Several meetings of trade union leaders and private owners convened in the presence of labour and cashew ministers have produced no results.
The majority of the private factories remain closed after the government mooted the minimum wages policy for the cashew workers in March 2015. The employees started an indefinite hunger strike led by the left trade unions on December 16. The private factory owners say the implementation of minimum wages would cause huge losses if the factories are opened. The Central Government also imposed an import duty of around 10 per cent which has raised the cost of imported raw cashew nuts. Meanwhile, the trade unions are adamant on the minimum wages.
Over 3.5 lakh cashew workers in the district, a majority of them women, are affected. The trade unions blame the unhealthy competition between the cashew traders in the state for the situation. They also point at the high value of processed cashew, nearly '1,100 per kg of W-240 standard cashew, to be an indicator of the “profits” earned by cashew factories. Following the “negotiations” by the trade unions with the private cashew owners, 14 companies have agreed to open their factories. The cashew workers are ready to work even for lower wages owing to acute poverty that has gripped the entire cashew hamlets.
