Kerala economy offers opportunities as well as rewards

Our group has been established in Kerala for probably one of the longest periods of time in its business history.
We could be termed the Indian Vasco Da Gamas. We came to Kerala for the spices and we have now evolved into other products and value-added services delivered out of Kerala.
The journey since 1935 has not been without difficulties, but reflecting back on it, from one trading outpost in Kochi to six plants spread across Kerala, it has not been unrewarding.
I think one of the biggest questions I get from most of my colleagues in industry is: What made you go there, why choose Kerala and how do you manage?
How do you deal with labour, which is one of the biggest concerns for most people? And the general environment for industry is considered negative as far as Kerala goes.
I believe that as an industrialist or an entrepreneur, it is your own responsibility to get a feel for the land, for the people. Once you understand what they stand for, know need to know how to leverage their strengths.
What you see in Kerala are extremely intelligent people, well-trained in their approach to understanding issues. If you put technical problems before them they can resolve them very quickly, without necessarily
being technically trained.
I think that by using that strength effectively, we were able to put in quality circles and lean management processes into place with smart people on the ground. That has tremendously helped us manage costs and improve our productivity.
In the last five years, I believe we have not lost a single man day in any of our plants.
I think Emerging Kerala is a great initiative. It is important to effectively showcase the changes that are taking place in the state. My advice [to businessmen] is use the talent in Kerala. Develop projects that leverage the skills of the state’s people extremely well and you will find it rewarding.
Land is available, but it expensive, so it would be judicious to develop projects that generate employment and revenues per square foot. That would be a smart way to approach it, and it would also add a lot of value to your returns on capital applied or investments.
One of the biggest changes that has happened over the 10-15 years or more, has been the [rise of] political leadership and government that have shifted their approach to problem solving and thinking about how to support enterprise and businesses.
There are tremendous opportunities for business in Kerala and I think it is a great time to visit and to make sure that you plant your footprint there. Because it is a great economy, rewards you extremely well and has tremendous capabilities to create international opportunities as well.