Mechanisation to the rescue of Karnataka cashew processors during pandemic

Mechanisation of cashew factories appears to be to have aided cashew processors in Karnataka in taking care of the circumstance all through the pandemic.

K Prakash Rao, husband or wife in Mangaluru-centered Kalbavi Cashews, instructed BusinessLine that cashew processing units in Karnataka have mostly mechanised their producing functions. This has aided processors in taking care of much better in these complicated situations.

He mentioned the amount of staff essential to approach is diminished by seventy five per cent in automatic plants vis-a-vis manual processing units. With this, it is easy to deal with social distancing norms and safety measures all through functions, he mentioned.

Conventional working treatments

Subraya Pai, President of Karnataka Cashew Manufacturers’ Affiliation (KCMA), instructed BusinessLine that cashew processing units are accomplishing nicely by retaining social length and subsequent standard working treatments prescribed by the authorities.

“Mechanisation has aided us really nicely in this kind of a circumstance,” he mentioned.

There are about 250 cashew units in Dakshina Kannada, Udupi, Shivamogga, Uttara Kannada, Kolar and Belagavi districts of Karnataka. Most of these units are now useful, however at diminished capacity.

Prakash Rao mentioned that when the lockdown was imposed on March 23, most men and women in the cashew marketplace puzzled if there would be need for cashews in the pandemic situations.

“We had been all apprehensive as to what we would do with the raw materials by now procured and contracted, and if would we all conclude up starting to be NPAs. But to the fantastic relief of all of us, cashews with other dry fruits are now pursued as a healthful food and, in point, usage of these on a regular basis boosts immunity by preserving the body and intellect healthful,” he mentioned.

Stating that cashew usage started off enhancing in May well, he mentioned June has found first rate offtake by most traders and modern day retail chains. The thirty day period of July introduced need close to normalcy, he mentioned.

However, Rao was of the opinion that the need for Karnataka cashews could be thanks to supply disruption in other cashew making origins this kind of as Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Odisha, where the affect of Covid-19 is extra severe than in Karnataka.

“Most of the smaller suppliers in these States are not able to run and deal with the present-day circumstance as this exercise is nonetheless mostly labour-intensive there,” he mentioned.