Brewery: Project will provide new boost to agricultural sector

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Chief Minister stated in the Assembly that the brewery coming up in Palakkad is the first multi-feed distillery project in South India. Various agricultural products will be used for spirit production in the brewery, he said.

The raw materials include useless rice, vegetable waste, tapioca, wheat, sweet potato, and maize. This project is expected to provide a new boost to the agricultural sector, the CM said.

"The project aims to generate 6 megawatts of electricity through cogeneration. The electricity will be produced by operating turbines using the thermal energy generated during the production process. Of the 6 megawatts, 3 megawatts will be used for the company's needs, and the excess will be supplied to the grid. This project will provide direct employment to 650 people and indirect employment to 2,000 people. Additionally, there will be significant benefits from the business transactions and other activities associated with the establishment," he said.

Crores flowing outside will come to Kerala
39.55 crore litres of ENA and ethanol reached Kerala in 2024. Distilleries got 9.21 crore litres of ENA, while oil companies got 30.28 crore litres of ethanol and 8.34 lakh litres of industrial spirit. Half of this came from states such as Maharashtra and Karnataka. Over 3,000 crore rupees are flowing out of the state in this way. The transportation charge is Rs 10 per litre on average, which amounts to around nearly Rs 400 crore. If production starts in Kerala, the transportation charge will reduce to Rs 2 per litre, saving more than Rs 300 crore in this area alone.

A zero-discharge unit is being set up, and the government will ensure that waste is not discharged externally. The company's technology has received approval from the National Green Tribunal, the Ministry of Environment and Forests, and other relevant authorities. The plant can only begin operations after obtaining local environmental clearances.

Vizhinjam will become reality in 2028
The Chief Minister said that the people's scepticism that nothing will improve in Kerala started to change once the Left government came to power in 2016. "The allegation that Kerala is not industrial-friendly has changed. Vizhinjam will become a reality in 2028. During the term of the UDF government, the health sector was on the ventilator. The Left government changed it through the Ardram Mission," he said.