India's 'Cashew Capital' Loses Ground in Global Race

Once the world's cashew capital, Kollam, India, has faltered in the face of competition from Vietnam as the city's labor-intensive industry has failed to adopt more-efficient technology. Photo: Naveen P M for The Wall Street Journal
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[@elmedia1532]

That Factory in Vietnam is Phu can amazing!!

[@trem876]

It's funny, Communist Kerala is losing out to Communist Vietnam.

[@ROHITHOO1]

Communist Kerala cant give up communism...even when China, Russia, Vietnam and Cuba gave up communism

[@SilverMercedesAMG]

One is a democracy, the other is a dictatorship. That's the only difference.

[@thumtlnguyen3626]

It's a predicament for India. Upgrade to automation, unemployment rises, uncompetitive position.

[@bissoondathramlal2311]

The different mentality between Indian businessmen and vietnamese businessmen, No wonder why China has left India so far behind economically , Even Vietnam standard of living is rising faster in just 4 decades. Like thousands of years before their only excuse is that poor people would become unemployed.

[@abcabc-xy4mv]

true bro india poor country and bl4ck skjjn bro

[@gokulgururaju5852]

Business became difficult, becoz you owners didn't invest in the machines or make the working a good place for people.

[@balakrishnanprakash8552]

Its becauase political parties dont support mechanisation

[@ketanmandavkar4360]

It's not the case everywhere in India. Major cashew producing indian state is Maharashtra and many big players are successfully doing the business. Also there are many factories in some part of Gujrat and Karnataka. So there is lot of of scope for the cashew industry in India, only thing is we need to learn to adopt the changes.

[@mohanganesh11164]

As long as the dirty communists are not allowed, anything can thrive anywhere in the planet.

[@ejvinit]

I agree. There are many automated plants in Maharashtra and Karnataka. They are showing india in bad light

[@abcabc-xy4mv]

india poor country

[@trueseeker262]

@@ejvinit Indians are cheap dont want to invest get left behind.

[@gowrishblaze]

mechanisation increases profit but non-mechanisation inreases employment.But i believe goverment investing on mechanisation also will have same efffect.So mechanisation should be way forward in this competitive market

[@vibhorejaiswal2997]

But mechanisation will increase production nd the standard of finish goods will be better so in the process it will also cater to global demand resulting in more jobs.

[@henri9109]

Sadly I doubt those workers in India are able to cash in unemployment checks. Growth in automated manufacturing in a nation helps bring in more taxable income for the nation though. It's a very delicate balancing act of how societies worldwide will adapt to the struggle of automated industry vs unemployment. It's going to ruffle a few feathers if governments don't take care of the people left behind.

[@truthalonetriumphs9417]

Union headache

[@freddyf8999]

I hope the one Im eating is from Vietnam! :-\

[@nammatech8437]

Lol I feel you

[@genamadigan2764]

@@nammatech8437 See I am the opposite. I would rather know my food was hand processed or machine and I would rather see more employement

[@momothewitch]

@@genamadigan2764 Manual labor like that gives you back and knee problems in your 30s. India just has so many people that it's cheaper to exploit them than investing in automation.

[@ennakavi2129]

in kerala mechanisation is a bad word. Yet cashews of same quality cost more in Kerala than USA. The state needs to go under.

[@arivo9062]

It's a matter of priorities. More machines , cheaper food, more waste for Walmart. India has 1.5 billions people and vn has only 105 millions.

[@whitewalter8x]

Oh. Vietnam is No1

[@mailraji1988]

Processing method is good.. but I’ve one doubt. How to reduce the oil contamination in shelling.. after cutting we gets too much oil contamination. So please clear my doubt sir.. pls tell me that steaming time and after cooking cooling time..

[@nguyentrung6574]

It all lies in detail. Vietnam technicians have spent years developing steaming techniques that resembles tradition sticky rice steaming method to control cashew's humidity and prevent any oil contamination.

[@mitenpat]

Cashews, if not roasted properly are poisonous.

[@tejeshsonval1181]

Very good , 70 years of congress government ..

[@kazukinakamura1110]

There are so many smart people from India, and many of them are in tech, including robotics, how come they are not helping their country?

[@kazukinakamura1110]

@H K Pheonix Great. But I think you posted under my comment by accident.

[@vibhorejaiswal2997]

This happens bcoz of the sleezy economic policies of dirty communist government in kerala which can't even learn from communists of Vietnam.

[@udutae]

They are in the UK and in the US.. the same with my country here in the Philippines.. skilled people cleaning Italian toilets because the government can't provide local jobs..

[@RowanGontier]

Thanks WSJ. Opened my eyes.

[@gurusaiprasadpuppala8420]

This process gives employment,I appreciate the owner

[@amiralx88]

The shell of cashew nuts is actually acid and burns employee's hands and eyes.

[@HT-vb1qw]

I like that there are female factory owners in Vietnam

[@saikumarnaga2191]

Which place details please share

[@bildup9265]

Gold

[@perfectionistpersona]

All automated factories should invest in the welfare of the communities around

[@maheshkarthick8447]

The kerala guy wanted cheap labor, look at the working conditions! 😠

[@Rithuof]

Mechanization intentionally avoided ..bcoz to avoid unemployment in 2 nd world populated India..

[@vibhorejaiswal2997]

But mechanisation will improve production nd quality of the finish goods nd in order to that I can cater to the global demand so more factories more jobs.

[@aainathemirror446]

@@vibhorejaiswal2997 india is a big market too. if u produce good quality of goods with provide enough jobs to locals.....

[@jzk2020]

Adopt or die. Welp.

[@soumyakanti17]

If everything is automated where will the jobs come from??

[@balakrishnanprakash8552]

If not automated entire industry will shut down...What is better few jobs or no jobs?

[@nammatech8437]

Universal Basic Income

[@vibhorejaiswal2997]

@@balakrishnanprakash8552 not right ?? Automation will increase productivity nd standard of finish products so that the products can cater to the global demand in return more jobs for more production simple as that.

[@phaphua2022]

From other more high-tech industries. That's the case of Vietnam, not India. India's population is way too big to provide enough jobs.

[@permanentplaceproperty]

Where is this factory? And there any contact no pls?

[@hoaphan-ck7lk]

They not sell technology

[@namvo3013]

2:09

[@langtuvodanh1236]

Binhphuoc-Vietnam

[@prashantkrw2164]

How to start this business?

[@udutae]

Please don't.. there is already a manual and there is another doing the mechanization.. I don't know what you'll gonna do... 😁

[@scholarlyreader383]

Vietnam has entered the 21 century while India and Africa are still in the second century.

[@enigma533]

u fool, this factory only is not Inida, there many developed factorys in India..fool... get your facts before come to conclusion. India the 4th powerful defence base, 6th top economy worldwide...

[@mohanganesh11164]

@@enigma533 👍👍 He calls himself scholarly reader. Poor fellow don't know the meaning, it seems....😜😜😜

[@xyzxyz23513]

I need to put my plant. I need machinery. Plz contact.

[@mohanganesh11164]

A word of caution, Definitely not in Kerala, if you wish to do business and sustain. Or else, your fate is written on the wall. It's not only cashew, all the industries in Kerala are in the docks,only because of the dirty communists. Kerala can see the light again, once all the commies are kicked into the Arabian ocean.

[@yashsinghrathore9615]

@@mohanganesh11164 communism is flawed

[@saipriyavarma1172]

Whats up with bollywood songs in the bg?

[@sontrinh5741]

Xin chào các bạn Ấn Độ

[@creativezebra5757]

I hope governents see that in future work and money become unrelated....that people don't work. For. Money.....but. For pleasure.

[@enigma533]

u fools, this factory only is not India, there many developed factorys in India..fool... get your facts before come to conclusion. India the 4th powerful defence base, 6th top economy worldwide...

[@abcabc-xy4mv]

india poor country and dark skjn

[@davec1615]

Its so unhygenic. No wonder theyre losing ground

[@mjsdeepakrajaa2008]

Anyone tell me the contact information of this factory?

[@sophat3117]

0

[@sandi1147]

casew indonesia

[@danielmachine5049]

Thanks for sharing. Truthful if we understand fully how cashew nut we eaten made. We would appreciate it. Its a long process and caring. Cheers Indian cashew nut industry.

[@ennakavi2129]

saipp kodutha machine aayirikkum.

[@ajaysagre3664]

No.1sir

[@shreygupta3354]

India has a population of 1.3 bn people, automation can help a handful of people however will it feed the massive population on the other hand ? Losing to Vietnam is far better if it feeds my countrymen two square meals.

[@kotichava]

In Globalisation era, if you are not able to compete, you can not survive. Better india should move to industrialisation and automation. If economy grows, new type of jobs will develop.

[@ShaunakDe]

Sadly, as prices fall in Vietnam, more and more factories in India will shutdown. And say bye bye to the meals.

[@vighneshkumar8940]

lol ultimately there will be zero exports and since the imported cashew will be cheaper .. vietnam's cashew will take over India ... better automate and get taxes from the business that is the way for future....

[@Akhil-gd7lp]

Did you read what he says at 5:06?

[@prathikshetty4340]

@@kotichava This is not the reality actually, because I have seen cashew factories in karnataka and Maharashtra in India where factories are advanced infact more advanced than this Vietnam factory shown in this video, the Indian video shown here is of some rural family business not of an established company. Even oil business is similar, rural small industries produces oil in old traditional method, but in reality the major market holders are brands like fortune, saffola, sundrop etc which are huge companies in India.