Kollam: Cashew nuts from Kollam in Kerala would now add to the delicacy of the famed Tirupati laddu.
Kerala and Andhra Pradesh would soon sign a deal that would enable the Tirupati temple to buy cashew nuts from the Kerala State Cashew Development Corporation and Kerala State Cashew Workers Apex Industrial Cooperative Society (CAPEX).
The Tirumala Venkateswara Temple in Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh, distributes around four lakh laddu as prasadam (religious offering) to devotees every day. Over 90 tonnes of cashew nuts would be needed every month and at least 1,000 tonnes in a year. Currently, the temple board, Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam, is buying cashew from private contractors.
Kerala Minister for Fisheries and Cashew Industry J Mercykutty Amma said that the business of the corporation and CAPEX would see a steep increase with the Tirupati temple buying cashew from these two establishments on an estimated deal of Rs 70 crore. The cashew board had taken the initiative for this.
The temple needs 3,000kg of cashew nuts every day for making laddus. The other temples that falls under the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam also need cashew nuts for preparing payasam and other prasadams.
In the first phase, 30 tonnes of cashew nuts would be sent at a rate of Rs 669 per kilogram.
Cashew Development Board chairman S Jayamohan said that the rate would be revised every three months.
