Kerala to procure raw cashew from African nations

  • | Thursday | 29th June, 2017

This agreement with African nations to procure raw cashew will ensure sufficient raw material and will help open the closed cashew factories," Vijayan said.The chief minister said the planned agreement would help avoid intermediaries while procuring raw cashew. The biggest beneficiaries of this conclave are the cashew workers in Kerala and cashew farmers or producers in Africa," said fisheries and cashew industry minister J Mercykutty Amma. "Kerala's raw cashew nut production is 0.83 lakh tonne, while the annual requirement is 8 lakh tonne. "Almost three lakh workers in Kerala depend on cashew processing for their livelihood. THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The government of Kerala has plans for a trade partnership with a few African nations to procure cashew to save the crisis-ridden cashew sector in the state, chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan said here on Wednesday.The partnership would be in coordination with the central ministry of external affairs, he said while inaugurating the two-day cashew conclave.

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The government of Kerala has plans for a trade partnership with a few African nations to procure cashew to save the crisis-ridden cashew sector in the state, chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan said here on Wednesday.The partnership would be in coordination with the central ministry of external affairs, he said while inaugurating the two-day cashew conclave. Envoys from 15 African countries were attending the event."Kerala's raw cashew nut production is 0.83 lakh tonne, while the annual requirement is 8 lakh tonne. The net deficit is over 7 lakh tonnes a year. This agreement with African nations to procure raw cashew will ensure sufficient raw material and will help open the closed cashew factories," Vijayan said.The chief minister said the planned agreement would help avoid intermediaries while procuring raw cashew. It would also help in restoring the value chain for all stakeholders.The agreement also aimed at transferring technology and share the experience from African countries to cultivate disease-resistant and hybrid varieties of cashew, offering higher yield."Almost three lakh workers in Kerala depend on cashew processing for their livelihood. Most of these workers are women belonging to the disadvantaged sections of the society. The biggest beneficiaries of this conclave are the cashew workers in Kerala and cashew farmers or producers in Africa," said fisheries and cashew industry minister J Mercykutty Amma."The target is to increase the cashew exports from Rs 6,000 crore to Rs 9,000 crore, and to ensure that Kerala State Cashew Development Corporation and Capex (Cashew apex Promotion Council) made profits.The first-of-its-kind conclave in the state to save the cashew sector industry, was aiming at strengthening the partnership between India and Africa.Finance minister T M Thomas Isaac, state planning board vice-chairman V K Ramachandran, external affairs ministry joint secretary Nagraj Naidu, etc. were present.First envoys to arrive here were from Guinea Bissau led by their corporate affairs chairman Surinder Mehta and Corporate affairs president M J Rahman.Envoys from Ivory Coast, Nigeria, Benin, Ghana, Burkina Faso, Senegal, Guinea, Mali, Togo, Gambia, Tanzania, Mozambique, Kenya and Madagascar participated in the conclave.

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