Imports, uncertainty over Onam kit cast a shadow over cashew sector

A steady inflow of imports and the uncertainty over government’s Onam kit distribution plans are keeping the cashew sector on tenterhooks.

Last year, both government-run factories and private processors had received fairly large orders after cashew was incorporated in the kit as part of the efforts to revive the sector and ensure the welfare of workers.

While factories functioning under the Kerala State Cashew Development Corporation (KSCDC) and the Kerala State Cashew Workers Apex Industrial Cooperative Society (Capex) supplied around 90 lakh sachets, the private sector too benefited from the decision.