Cashew Corp Launches Health Drink and Soup

The value-addition unit of the Kerala State Cashew Development Corporation (KSCDC), to make its new products, including a health drink and instant soup, was opened at Kottiyam near here.

Inaugurating the unit, Labour Minister P K Gurudasan said strengthening the cashew industry was a priority area of the LDF Government.
A ‘trail blazer’ in cashew processing in India, the sector was a major component of the state’s traditional sector, employing about 12 lakh workers, he said.
KSCDC chairman E Kasim claimed that it was for the first time in the 88-year-old history of the cashew industry that an Indian company was hitting the market with such novel products other than roasted and salted cashew nuts.
The four products – cashew soup, cashew vita, cashew powder and cashew bits – would reach the shops in a few weeks.
With the expansion programme,KSCDC’s turnover was expected to go upto Rs 300 crore in 2008-09 from 90 crore last year, with the value-added products alone bringing in Rs 100 crore, KSCDC officials said.