The Kerala State Cashew Development Corporation (KSCDC) is planning to set up a ₹5-crore cashew processing unit in the district, with an installed capacity of 2,000 kg raw cashew nuts a day.
KSCDC officials held preliminary talks in this regard with the Kallar grama panchayat officials recently. It was decided to set up the processing unit on three acres of leased land offered by Panathady Cooperative Bank at Poodamkallu, 25 km east of Kanhangad.
The unit would start functioning by December this year, KSCDC Managing Director T.F. Xaviour told The Hindu from Kollam. “Initially, we plan to employ 200 employees, including 185 women. Efforts are on to finalise modalities,” he said.
One of the reasons for choosing the area is its accessibility to cashew producing areas both in northern Kerala and Karnataka. The Centre had already issued a notification for a national highway to link Kanhangad to Bengaluru via Panathur, Bhagamandala and Madikkeri and has earmarked ₹2 crore for the survey.
Bank secretary P. Raghunath said the unit could help develop the backward region.
The district is known for its top-graded cashew nut. However, becuase of lack of processing units the bulk of the produce is shifted to south Kerala for processing.
