The State government has approved a proposal of the Handicrafts Development Corporation of Kerala (HDCK) to revive the screw pine industry and preserve traditional craftsmanship. The project aims at promoting the manufacturing of screw pine, reed and cane products that will be procured and sold by the corporation.
While a total of 40 persons will be trained and provided all the raw materials and equipment, two clusters will be formed for the smooth functioning of the project. Through this, the corporation also plans to ensure a market for the products and extend direct financial support to 60 artisans.
“The project will be launched in Thazhava panchayat first. After evaluating the prospects, it will be extended to other districts too. The project was assessed by the Planning Board, the Industries department and the Scheduled Caste Development department before giving the approval,” said P. Ramabhadran, HDCK chairman.
In the first phase, ₹30 lakh, including ₹27 lakh from the Scheduled Caste Development department and ₹3 lakh from the HDCK, will be used.
In the first phase, the production cost will be paid as a grant by the Scheduled Caste Development department. Apart from mats, a range of other products, including bags, baskets and artefacts, will be produced as part of the project. While mechanisation and product diversification will be introduced slowly, the project will be launched in other major screw pine industry centres by next year. The Centre for Management Development (CMD) will be in charge of the project implementation.
One of the products from Kerala with a GI tag, screw pine mats are considered an eco-friendly alternative for plastic mats. The cottage industry was once widely popular in many parts of the State as the screw pine mats, known as Thazhapayya, had a good market. At present, the biggest challenge faced by the artisans are marketing. Through the project, this issue is expected to be addressed. Since the shortage of raw materials is another problem, the HDCK will also initiate steps to cultivate the screw pine plant.
