The Kerala Agro Industries Corporation Limited

JOINTLY PROMOTED BY STATE AND CENTRAL GOVERNMENTS

Kerala Agro Industries Corporation Ltd (KAIC)

The Kerala Agro Industries Corporation Ltd (KAIC), a premier organization in the agricultural sector, was incorporated in the year 1968 jointly by the Government of India and Government of Kerala, with the object of promoting agro based Industries in the State of Kerala, for the production of farm equipments, Machinery and Implements required for the development of agriculture in the State and to cater to the needs of the farming community.

From the very inception, the Corporation has very proudly introduced Tractors and Power Tillers for ploughing operations in the fields, overcoming the resistance from public. The introduction of such machinery in agriculture has paved way for green revolution in agriculture in the State. In addition, the Corporation is developing and implementing new and innovative methods in the field of agriculture with the introduction of various machinery and equipments like Threshers, Winnowers, Cultivators, Cage wheels, Ridgers, besides trading of Tractors, Power Tillers, Pump sets, etc.

The following are the major objectives for which the Corporation was established.

To acquire, purchase, give or sell agricultural implements, agricultural machinery such as tractors and power tillers, agricultural equipments such as pump sets and plant protection equipments, poultry equipments such as incubators, brooders, fisheries equipments such as out board engines and cold storage equipments, etc either on hire purchase system or on payment by installments or on full payment as may be of interest to the company.
To organize, conduct or manage engineering or repair shop or workshop of all descriptions or to take over such shop or workshop of all descriptions or to take over such shops owned by the Government of Kerala and to manufacture, import, export, buy, sell or otherwise deal in workshop machinery, machine tools and metals of all kinds.
To hire out agricultural implements and machinery, such as tractors, power tillers, agricultural equipments such as pump sets and plant protection equipments

Our Establishment

Corporation started its operations in 1968 in a modest way with its Head Office at Thiruvananthapuram. The Corporation developed infrastructure facilities at all the Revenue Districts of the State on a phased manner. During the course of its operations, the Corporation has promoted two subsidiary Companies, M/s Kerala Agro Machinery Corporation Ltd. (KAMCO) in 1972- engaged in production and marketing of agricultural machinery, especially Power Tillers, Reapers etc. and M/s Meat Products of India Limited (MPI) in 1973- engaged in production and marketing of meat and meat products. Subsequently during 1987 as per the decision of the Government of Kerala, the subsidiary status of these two Companies has been withdrawn and made them independent Companies. Now these two Companies are working on profitable lines as independent Companies.

The Corporation is having 14 Districts Offices, one each in all the Revenue Districts of the State, apart from its Central Marketing Office at Ernakulam, the industrial capital of the State. Activities of the Corporation are concentrated mainly in rural areas with need based operation in urban area also.

The Corporation has won the First Award of the National Productivity Council during 2006-07 among state Agro Industries Corporations. The Corporation is at present moving on a positive trend, in spite of all odds faced during the yesteryears.

As part of the promotion of mechanization in the agricultural sector of the State, Corporation has successfully implemented Government’s various prestigious projects like Farm Mechanization under Kuttanad Package, State Food Security Programme, etc. and implementing Farm Mechanization Programme under Integrated Kole land development project.

The Corporation has made significant contribution to the farming community by setting up Custom Hiring centers for Combine Harvesters at major paddy cultivation regions in the State- Thiruvalla, Vaikom, Thrissur, Palakkad and Ambalapuzha. Corporation is having a total fleet strength of 205 Nos. Combine Harvesters, 72 tractors, 60 power tillers,etc. These machines are hire out to the farmers on a nominal rent. Corporation’s intervention has helped in assuring the required number of machines and has helped in curtailing the hiring charges to some extend and thus solved the shortage of farm laborers.

The Corporation has diversified its activities towards development of value added products. The Kerala Agro Fruit Products (KAFP), a unit of the Kerala Agro Industries Corporation Ltd (KAIC Ltd.) at Punalur, Kollam, is producing value added products like ready to serve juices, jams, pickles, syrup, honey based products, etc. Presently KAFP is having automatic pet bottling plant having production capacity of 1500 Ton RTS/Year. These products have already been captured a major market share in the brand name of “Jyothi”. A unit for production of White Pepper, a value added product from pepper, was commissioned at Sulthan Bathery, Wayanad. Steps are in the final stage for setting up of jack fruit processing plant at Mala, Thrissur for processing value added products from jackfruit and modern rice mill at Sulthan Bathery, Wayanad for processing the ethnic varieties of rice like Jeerakasala and Gandhakasala.

Corporation has started a prestigious venture “Agro Super Bazaar“at Thiruvananthapuram. The concept of “Agro Super Bazaar” is to provide the farmers “All agricultural needs under one roof”. This Super Bazaar showcases all types of agricultural implements, machineries, value added products, inputs and seedlings etc and disseminate various technologies in agricultural sector. The Agro Super Bazaar at Thiruvananthapuram has been a great success, among the farming community and general public. The Corporation has expanded the chain of bazaar by setting up of Agro Bazaar/ Mini Agro Bazaar at Kottarakara, Paravoor, Punalur, Ambalappuzha, Thiruvalla, Athani, Thrissur, Kannur and Wayanad.

For the promotion of the equipments powered by non conventional sources of energy and for the optimum use of the land and water sources Corporation has set up an exclusive outlet for BHRS Products at Thiruvananthapuram ( Bio-gas plant equipments, Hi-tech Polyhouse equipments, Rainwater harvesting equipments and Solar Powered equipments).

As a part of diversifying the activities, the Corporation has entered into several new ventures such as fabrication of agricultural implements, supply, installation and commissioning of suitable systems for disposal of Municipal Solid Waste through latest practices, infrastructural development activities, etc. Corporation is the accredited service provider of Suchithwa Mission – Kerala, Implementing agency for infrastructure development work under SC- ST Development Department, Total Solution Provider for promotion of Hi-Tech cultivation in the State.

The Kerala Agro Industries Corporation is presently passing through a phase of re-emergence. The present achievements are through diversification of activities and through better utilization of available resources.

The changing scenario in the field of agriculture with focus on increased productivity and modern methodology, the relevance of Kerala Agro Industries Corporation has become more significant.