Made in Kerala

To those who lament the lack of development in our State, I have only this to say, we are lucky that we did not go ahead on a self-destructive path. Instead, we have a better background to work on our future.

When you think of Kerala, it is the breath taking beauty of the state that comes first to the mind, and not industry. Yet it is a fact, that Kerala has always been famous for its entrepreneurship, and has also been the pioneer in innovative ideas for the development of industry. It was Kerala that promoted the electronics industry as early as the seventies by setting up Keltron – and it was Kerala that built Technopark, with a dedicated infrastructure for the IT industry, in the eighties. Both of these were firsts of their kind in India. It is true that Kerala did not jump into industrialization as many other states did. But the advantage has been that the state has avoided the pitfalls that rapid industrialization brings in its wake. Kerala continues to be green and friendly because it was slow to bring in polluting industries – and it is now in the enviable position of avoiding others’ mistakes while planning ahead.

Another Pioneering Concept

The Kerala chapter of the Confederation of Indian Industries or CII has put forward another pioneering concept- to create a new brand image for indigenous industries and services- in other words to promote the brand “ Made In Kerala.” The brand will represent the values dear to the Keralite’s heart and will be green, non-polluting, eco-friendly, organic, healthy, participative, and compliant with the laws of the land. It will also be transparent, premium in quality and made with zero child labour. The brand will sell the state’s strengths, including the fact that Kerala is blessed with the best human resources pool in the country, and an informed class of working people. Kerala also employs the largest number of women. The minerals in Kerala, including ilmenite, are unique. The scenic beauty of the state, its backwaters, hills, plantations and culture are also unique. Tourism has been plus factor internationally, and now adventure tourism and religious tourism are other avenues that can be explored.

The Springboard

The idea got a tremendous boost when leaders from Kerala’s industry, commerce, medicine, IT, politics and enterprise came together and presented their viewpoints on at a Meet on March 10^th 2012. Industries secretary Alkesh Kumar Sharma said there is the need to market the brand, be it from food, tourism or any other sector, in ways that symbolize the set of values, intrinsic to people of Kerala. For example, the state needs to market its brand “Kerala Tea” on the lines of the high successful Colombian coffee. The brand should stand for purity, goodness, and excellence. The Chairman of Kerala chapter, Mr Jose Dominic, said the ‘Made in Kerala’ brand should be a social brand under which every service provider can seek a competitive edge.

The “Made in Kerala” brand will represent a unique competitive advantage that attracts investment in select, high-value sectors and generates employment in both the manufacturing and service sectors. With efficient quality control and a green tag for the best products the ‘Made in Kerala’ initiative could be a springboard for next phase of industrialization.