KOCHI: The ambitious Nutrimix project being implemented by the Kudumbasree poverty eradication mission in the State aims at around Rs.200-crore turnover annually from 500 units, employing 2,500 women.

The project involves producing nutritious baby food developed by the Central Plantation Crops Research Institute (CPCRI), Kasaragod, in units run by women under self-help groups and selling it using the Kudumbasree network.

As per the current plans, Kudumbasree plans to have a production of about three tonnes per month per unit achieving a total production of 1,500 tonnes of Nutrimix per month throughout the State.

Ambitious project

The total investments in 500 units will be to the tune of Rs.12 crores while the total expected turnover annually is around Rs.200 crores.

"From mass production of nutritious food to production by masses is the key to the new programme," said an official of the Kudumbasree here.

He said that while the investments and the turnover are akin to that of a large-scale manufacturer, the production base is being spread wide while the profits will be more widely shared.

The ambitious project has got a big hand from the State Social Welfare Department, which has asked the Kudumbasree groups to distribute Nutrimix to children below the age of three in 54 blocks across Kerala.

This comes in tandem with a plan by the Kudumbasree to liaise with the Anganwadis in the State for the supply of the supplementary food.

The Kudumbasree official said that the over three million families under the Kudumbasree programme itself held out great potential.

He said none of these families consumed any supplementary food and that supply of Nutrimix to these families would also fulfil a larger social obligation.

While those running the Nutrimix units will be trained by technical experts from the CPCRI, Kudumbasree plans to set up three regional food laboratories to ensure that the quality of the Nutrimix hitting the market from Kudumbasree units would be of the best quality.

Besides, the Mission plans to obtain Food Products Organisation certificate for Nutrimix within three months.

The Nutrimix programme was conceived nearly two years ago and the pilot project was launched in Kasaragod district. Training of personnel for 262 units has been completed, while 154 units are already running.

The Kudumbasree official said that Kudumbasree planned a common brand name for Nutrimix to take on the bigger players in the big market for supplementary food.

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