The story
Cashew plantations on Odisha's coastal and hill districts supply raw nuts to processing units in Ganjam. Shelling, peeling and grading are labour-intensive and employ many rural women. Units also import raw nuts to run through the year.
In numbers
The Shree Jagannath cashew cluster in Ganjam had 49 functional units, output of 3,800 MT of kernels and employment of 5,000; about 10% of products are exported.
Brief Industrial Profile of Ganjam District, MSME-DI Cuttack, Ministry of MSME · 2012
Ways in for a newcomer
- Value-added cashew snacks (roasted, flavoured)
- CNSL extraction from shells
- Mechanised shelling to cut labour cost
Problems the cluster faces
- Raw nut price swings and import dependence
- Labour shortages in peak season
- Competition from Vietnamese kernels
Businesses to start here
Cashew Nut Processing →Cashew Nut Shell Liquid (CNSL) →Cashew Apple Syrup →