Cashew Export Promotion Council of India

Cashew Export Promotion Council of India
Name	Cashew Export Promotion Council of India
Formation	1955
Headquarters	Kollam, Kerala
Region served	India
Leader title	Chairman

Cashew Export Promotion Council of India is an export promotion body established to develop and promote the trade of processed cashew kernels and cashew nut shell liquid from India. It operates from Kollam in Kerala and interacts with producers, processors, exporters and international buyers to facilitate market access and technical standards. The council liaises with various Ministries and agencies, represents industry interests at multilateral fora, and runs training, market intelligence and quality assurance initiatives.

History

The council was founded in 1955 following deliberations involving the Ministry of Commerce, regional chambers such as the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry, and state governments including Kerala and Goa. Early engagement involved collaboration with commodity boards like the Spices Board of India and institutions such as the Export Promotion Council for EOUs and SEZs to stabilise supply chains disrupted after Indian independence and postwar global shortages. Through the 1960s and 1970s it worked alongside agencies including the Export Credit Guarantee Corporation of India and research bodies like the Central Food Technological Research Institute to improve processing and storage. In the 1980s and 1990s the council responded to trade liberalisation under policies influenced by leaders connected to Narendra Modi and earlier reformers, coordinating with international partners such as the International Trade Centre and standards organisations including the International Organization for Standardization. More recent decades saw ties with development agencies like the World Bank, multinational buyers such as Kraft Foods and Unilever, and certifications aligned with ISO 22000 and sustainability initiatives advocated by groups including Fairtrade International.

Mandate and Functions

The council’s statutory mandate encompasses export development, industry promotion and liaison with regulatory bodies such as the Directorate General of Foreign Trade, taxation authorities like the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs, and labour regulators in Kerala and Maharashtra. Core functions include market intelligence for destinations like Vietnam, United States, Netherlands, and United Arab Emirates; organising trade delegations to fairs such as the Anuga and FIEE; providing export facilitation services with entities like the Marine Products Export Development Authority; and advising on tariff and non-tariff measures arising from agreements under the World Trade Organization and regional pacts involving ASEAN partners.

Organizational Structure

The council is governed by a board with representatives from major exporting states including Kerala, Karnataka, Goa, and Maharashtra and stakeholders drawn from associations like the Confederation of Indian Industry and state cashew associations. Administrative headquarters in Kollam administer regional offices and technical units that coordinate with research institutes such as the National Institute of Nutrition and testing facilities similar to those run by the Central Food Technological Research Institute. Leadership roles interact with diplomatic missions, export banks like the State Bank of India and trade promotion bodies including Invest India.

Membership and Stakeholders

Membership comprises processors and exporters from districts such as Kollam district, Udupi district, North Goa district, and industrial hubs like Mumbai and Surat. Stakeholders include input suppliers, logistics firms from ports including Cochin Port and Mormugao Port, packaging companies tied to brands distributed via retail chains like Tata Group subsidiaries and supermarket groups such as Reliance Retail. The council engages with worker organisations, state labour departments, and vocational trainers connected to institutions like the National Skill Development Corporation.

Export Promotion Activities

Activities include organising buyer-seller meets with trade partners from United Kingdom, Germany, China, and Japan; facilitating participation in trade fairs like SIAL Paris and Gulfood; publishing market reports and tariff analyses relevant to agreements such as those negotiated at the World Trade Organization; and running overseas promotion offices in key markets often coordinated through the Ministry of External Affairs (India). The council also implements capacity building with training modules influenced by curricula from the Food and Agriculture Organization and technology transfer initiatives with processors who export to multinational food companies like Nestlé.

Quality Control and Standards

The council promotes adherence to standards including ISO 22000, pesticide residue limits aligned with codifications from the Codex Alimentarius Commission, and food safety regimes paralleling those of the European Food Safety Authority and the United States Food and Drug Administration. It supports laboratory testing, certification procedures and traceability protocols often benchmarked against private schemes such as GlobalG.A.P. and sustainability frameworks like Fairtrade International. Coordination with accreditation bodies such as the National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories is routine.

Impact and Criticism

The council has contributed to making India a leading supplier to markets in Africa, Europe, and North America and helped processors in Kerala and Karnataka access buyers including Mondelēz International and PepsiCo. Critics point to challenges in worker welfare highlighted by regional labour activists, supply chain vulnerabilities noted by analysts at organisations like the International Finance Corporation, and competition from producing nations such as Vietnam and Ivory Coast. Debates involve trade policy commentators from think tanks like the Observer Research Foundation and civil society groups that reference standards promoted by bodies including the Food and Agriculture Organization.

Category:Export promotion agencies of India Category:Cashew production