Plant to meet cashew demand

NUTTY delight

Dhubri, Feb. 14 : The North Eastern Regional Agricultural Marketing Corporation Ltd (Neramac), a central government public sector undertaking, will set up the largest cashew nut processing plant in the Northeast within a year at Mancachar in Dhubri to meet the growing demand of processed cashew nuts in the region.

The Rs 2.3-crore plant under the non-lapsable central pool of resources scheme will have a capacity of processing of 4 tonnes of raw cashew nuts per day and the first instalment has already arrived.

Cashew is a very popular item and has both national and international markets. It is a premium food with abundant nutrients having no cholesterol.

“There are 17 cashew nut processing units in the region with the processing capacity ranging from 700kg to 1 tonne a day. Having observed the rich potential of cashew nuts produced in the Northeast, Neramac is setting up a cashew processing unit of 4 tonnes a day at Mancachar.

“The adjoining area of Mankachar and the neighbouring state of Meghalaya produce raw cashew nuts. Besides, the unit once set up will get various concessions from the state and the central governments that will benefit the farmers as well as the processors,” the managing director of the PSU, S. Bhattacharjee, said today.

He said the plant would make 700kg of finished cashew nut daily.

“Most of the raw cashew nuts are going out of Meghalaya through Garobandha outside the region for processing in Orissa and also in Andhra Pradesh. Mancachar at Borkona was chosen as the site taking into consideration the proximity of the source of raw material as well as zero industry district of Assam where labour is comparatively cheap and easy to have as cashew processing is a labour-intensive industry,” he said.

Work order has been issued and the first instalment has also come, he said. Funds will be routed through the Assam government in adherence to scheme’s norms.

The unit will also have a line for facility for making cashew nut shell liquid which is required by the paint industry.

“It is used for paints and varnishes decorative and industrial laminates,” Bhattacharjee said.

The requirement of processed cashew nut per annum in the region is around 1,700 tonnes and is fast increasing with rapid urbanisation of the region.

Besides, the institutional customers include standard hotels, bars, restaurants, defence establishments, clubs, oil sector establishments, airlines, banks, office canteens and co-operatives.

The turnover of the company in 2008-2009 has already crossed Rs 21 crore, Bhattacharjee said.

“The corporation has already put into place a well-conceived marketing network, quality product with proper packaging, incentive-linked marketing tie-up and prompt delivery of the product which will help the unit achieve its goals,” he said.