African diplomats meet in Kerala to boost cashew business

A high level diplomatic meeting of Ambassadors from 15 African countries will be held here on Wednesday and Thursday to discuss ways and means on how to boost cashew production in Kerala, said a state Minister.

State Minister for Cashew J. Mercykutty Amma said that the main agenda of the two-day meeting was to see how best cashew kernels can be brought into Kerala.

"The problem is there are middle men and this meeting will deliberate on how to avoid them so as to bring in kernels from Africa on a regular basis to provide 300 days' job to our workers who work in cashew factories," said Amma.

She said the meeting would also find various techniques employed in cashew plantations that are being used in African countries.

"Our aim is that the total cashew export earnings of the country to go up form Rs 6,000 crore to Rs 9,000 crore. To this to be a reality, the need of the hour is for a regular supply of quality kernels and it's for this that we are holding this special meeting of African diplomats," said Amma.

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan will also be present during the meeting. Those coming for the meet include diplomats from Nigeria, Kenya, Tanzania, Ghana, Senegal, to name a few, besides officials from the External Affairs ministry.

--IANS

sg/ahm/vt