Date:13/09/2006 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2006/09/13/stories/2006091301161900.htm

Business

Cashew council to celebrate golden jubilee from Sept. 15

Staff Correspondent

India's share in the global market accounts for 40 per cent

MANGALORE: The Cashew Export Promotion Council of India (CEPCI), sponsored by the Union Government, will organise its golden jubilee celebrations at Kovalam, Thiruvananthapuram, from September 15 to 17, its chairman Walter D'Souza, has said.

Addressing presspersons here on Monday he said that India's cashew export share in the global market accounted for 40 per cent. Indian cashew was exported to 65 countries.

The highlight of the inaugural session will be the presentation on "global buyers" perspective on Indian cashew - vision 2020" by John Petersen, world's single largest importer of cashew from the house of Planters from the United States of America.

Jairam Ramesh, Union Minister of State for Commerce and Industry, will inaugurate the three-day meet. P.K. Gurudasan, Minister for Labour, Excise and Cashew, Kerala, will be the chief guest.

As a part of the celebrations, a global buyer-seller meet exclusively for cashew will be held on September 16 and 17.

Cashew importers from different parts of the world will deliberate on promotional and marketing strategies for cashew in a bid to give the system a paradigm shift.

Deliberations will be held on Indian cashew production scenario, cashew markets, buyers' expectations, quality, packaging and food safety; trade facilitation and communication, technological upgradation and value addition.

Resource persons drawn from 10 countries will make the presentations. The buyer-seller meet is expected to generate additional exports of about $ 100 million (Rs.460 crore).

CEPCI has also taken up the construction of a new research and development centre at a cost of Rs.6.25 crore at Kollam. The research work will be carried out for technological upgradation of cashew processing.

It will also have training facilities for laboratory technicians, scientists and cashew factory supervisors.

The building will be ready by June 2007.

Union Minister Oscar Fernandes will deliver the valedictory address. K.T. Chacko, Director General of Foreign Trade and T. Balakrishnan, Principal Secretary, Commerce and Industry, Kerala will be present.

Mr. D'Souza said that 250 delegates including 50 from 20 countries were expected to participate in the meeting.