THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Tanzania has approached the state government for supply of cashewnuts, according to Cashew Development Minister J. Mercykuttyamma. She was replying to an adjournment notice given by Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan (Cong) in the Assembly on Thursday.
Later, the Opposition walked out alleging corruption to the tune of Rs 20 crore in cashew procurement.
Ms Mercykuttyamma said that Tanzania had two lakh metric tonnes of nut stock lying unsold with them which they were willing to sell at very low prices. This was despite the fact that last year they were unwilling to sell it for anything below 2000 dollars per tonne, she said.
She justified the decision not to go for e-tender for the sale and use the sealed tenders instead last year because there was an urgent need to secure raw nuts.
Last year, foreign companies could not take part in the tender process as their digital signatures were not approved.
Following this, the Cashew Board asked for a sealed tender route which the cabinet approved. “However, we have returned to the e-tender process this year,” she added.
However, the Opposition alleged huge corruption in the import of raw cashewnuts from Mozambique, Ghana and Guinea-Bissau.
Opposition Leader Ramesh Chennithala also alleged that cheap and low-quality nuts were dumped by African nations. The allegation was refuted by the minister.
Mr Radhakrishnan said that a special purpose vehicle to import cashew was formed to do away with middlemen.
