Kerala cashew sector to tap Japanese market in post-Covid days

V Sajeev Kumar Kerala’s cashew sector is gearing to tap the Japanese marketplace in the article-Covid times in view of soaring demand from customers and recurring orders for kernels.

Japan is 1 of the main customers and the recent lockdown is a hindrance to satisfy the demand from customers fully. Having said that, the sector is self-confident to utilise its prospective once the limits are lifted, said K Rajesh, countrywide committee member of the Cashew Industry Defense Council.

Japan is an essential marketplace for Indian cashew kernels with yearly export of all around 10,000 tonnes. Of this, the contribution of the Kerala cashew sector is all around eight,000 tonnes and the stability will be satisfied from Vietnam and China marketplaces. The drum-roasted cashew kernels are the USP of Kerala item, which finds quite a few takers in Japan, Rajesh said.

Very last year, shipments to Japan was as reduced as all around 5000 tonnes owing to a subdued demand from customers coupled with a muted perform natural environment in the extremely labour-intensive cashew processing factories below on account of quite a few sector-clever troubles, he extra.

Any hold off in getting into the Japanese marketplaces in the article-Covid times may perhaps give Vietnam and China an chance to gain supremacy. The two these nations around the world have a competitive benefit of lower production expenses for the reason that of mechanisation. The value of production for kernels in India is all around ₹700 for every kg, even though in Vietnam, it is all around ₹350/kg.

Moreover Japan, the US, Australia, the European Union are also great marketplaces and the Covid-19 condition has led to a diminishing demand from customers in these consuming economies, he extra.

According to R.K.Bhoodes, Chairman, Federation of Indian Cashew Industry, the sector is in the system of advertising and marketing consumption of cashew nuts as an immunity booster in consuming nations around the world owing to the existence of zinc.

Having said that, he said, the consumption of cashew nut in the domestic marketplace has been influenced in the wake of the cancellation of marriages and other functions. It is envisioned to consider at least one to 2 several years to restore normalcy.