TN cashew association demands revocation of CEPCI’s suspension

The Tamil Nadu Cashew Processors and Exporters Association (TNCPEA) has urged the Centre to revoke the suspension of the Cashew Export Promotion Council of India (CEPCI)’s powers to problem or renew Registration-cum-Membership Certificates for exports.

In a letter addressed to Union Minister for Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal, the secretary of the Association M. Ramakrishnan claimed that the cashew import foyer, affected because of the steps taken by the council in curbing fraudulent imports of completed/semi-finished kernels, was behind the transfer.

“The suspension of CEPCI is aimed at paralysing the council and to ensure unhindered imports of cashew kernels to the country. The CEPCI was not even served a notice on suspension by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) and the decision is highly detrimental to the domestic cashew industry,” Mr. Ramakrishnan stated.

The surge in fraudulent imports of completed and semi-finished cashew kernels from competing nations has paralysed the Indian cashew business and rendered lakhs of staff employed within the business jobless, the letter stated.

Mr. Ramakrishnan alleged that low high quality cashew kernels have been flooding the markets and the distinction in costs has destroyed the prospects of the home cashew business. As a consequence, real processors within the nation who discovered it troublesome to compete towards the low-priced kernels have been left with no different choice however to down their shutters.

The Association claimed that CEPCI was vigilant towards such importers and even organized for assortment of information of imports and handed it over to the customs and Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI). This resulted in seizure of greater than 60 import consignments.

The Union Government ought to revoke the suspension of CEPCI and ban all imports of completed/semi-finished kernels to guard the cashew business, Mr. Ramakrishnan added.