(a) whether the Cashew Export Promotion Council has been functioning at its head office, Kochi;
(b) if so, the details thereof;
(c) whether there is a move to shift this office; and
(d) if so, whether there is a strong opposition to shift this office alongwith the
reasons therefor?
MINISTER OF THE STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY (SHRI JAIRAM RAMESH)
(a) & (b): Yes Sir.
(c) : Yes Sir. Cashew Export Promotion Council (CEPC) has taken a decision based on a
resolution passed in their AGM to shift its office from Kochi to Kollam, the latter being
‘Town of Export Excellence’ for cashew.
(d): The Department of Commerce received representations from various persons against CEPC’s
decision. The main reasons given against shifting are:i) Shifting a centrally located office
(near Airport/seaport etc) from the commercial capacity of Kerala to a remote underdeveloped
place is not desireable.
ii) It may be with the intention to dispose of the high value property of the Council at Kochi.
iii) The construction of “Cashew Bhavan†at Kollam was intended for the CEPC laboratory.
Shifting the CEPC office there raises doubts about this intention.
iv) Difficulty to be faced by the staff of CEPC due to such shifting.
The Government has directed the CEPC to look into these before actually shifting the office.