Economy and Industry

Economy

A majority of the
population of the district is
dependent directly or indirectly on
agriculture for their livelihood. The
main crops grown in the district are
paddy , coconut , pepper , cashew ,
tapioca , arecanut and plantation
crops like rubber . Asia's largest
cinnamon estate producing
cinnamon spice established by Lord
Brown of British East India
company in the year CE 1767 is
located at Anjarakandy in Kannur
district Paddy occupies the largest
area among annual crops. Under
the high yielding variety
programme, substantial increase in
paddy production has been
achieved, even though the
percentage of area sown under
paddy is decreasing year after
year, due to conversion of paddy
fields to other purposes. The
average yield of paddy is recorded
as 2146 kg. per hectare. Next to
paddy, coconut is the most
important crop in the district.
Coconut is extensively grown
throughout the district. An
important cash crop grown in the
district is cashewnut. The district
plays a unique role in its
cultivation and production. The
vast stretches of suitable waste
lands with low fertility status
extends scope for expansion of
cashew cultivation and its allied
industries. Among spices, pepper
occupies an important place.
Pepper is mostly grown as an
intercrop with coconut, arecanut
and various fruit trees. In the hilly
areas of the district, the inter-
cultivation is done with rubber and
cashew. Rubber is the most
important industrial cash crop
among the plantation crops. About
55 % of the rubber cultivation of
Kannur district is in Taliparamba
taluk, followed by Thalassery and
Kannur taluks. The yield of rubber
per hectare varies from 2000 kg to
4000 kg.

Industry
Kannur district
has had industrial importance from
very early days. Being blessed with
a variety of factors such as good
soil, salubrious climate, rich
forests, enormous fishing
potentials, minerals as well as
infrastructural facilities like road,
rail, inland water transport, etc.,
the district offers ample scope for
the development of industries.
Nevertheless, Kannur is an
industrially backward district in the
state. There is only one major and
five mini industrial estates in the
district. Keltron Complex,
Mangattuparamba and Western
India Plywood's, Valappattanam
are the two major industries. The
Western India Plywoods is one of
the biggest wood based industrial
complexes in South East Asia. The
district has 12 medium-scale
industries, most of which are either
cotton textile or plywood
manufacturing. Handloom Textiles,
beedi and coir are the important
traditional industries in the district.
About one lakh people depend on
the textile industry for livelihood.
The textile industry which accounts
for 40 % of all Small Scale
Industrial (SSI) units in the district,
was introduced in early 19 th
century by the German Basel
Mission . The first ready- made
garment unit in Kannur and the
first hosiery unit in Kuthuparamba
were started around the end of the
19 th century. The beedi industry
provides employment to about 50 ,
000 people. The famous beedi co-
operative ‘Dinesh Beedi’ and
Private owned Sadhu Beedi
companies are in Kannur district.
The coir industry which uses
traditional technology provides
employment to about 11 ,000
workers. There are 6934 small
scale industrial units in the district.
The district has 202 sick units
which is about 9.3 % of the sick
units of the state. Only 4828 units
are working now. 162 industrial
societies and four power loom
societies are also functioning here.
Kannur, Thalassery, Payyannur,
Taliparamba and Edakkad have
been identified as growth centers,
having potential for industrial
development.