RURAL PRODUCTS OF KANYAKUMARI 

Scattered all over the district Kanyakumari has a wide range of products. Large number of handicraft items, food products, embroidery and clothes sustain a significant segment of the population. Sea shell crafts of Kanyakumari are famous. District also produces plant fibre based products, from banana, katalai, palm and jute apart from coir. DRDA is promoting many of these under the organised SHG structure and large number of groups have been given financial assistance under various schemes for production, sales and training. These activities are presently giving gainful employment to a large section of the rural poor.

Some of the items like pin lace are also getting exported on a large scale. Though the returns in some of the cases are not very high the possibility of taking up the activity as spare time work makes it attractive. However taken at the district level the volume and value of the rural products are substantial, handicraft products alone produced in the district per annum comes to the tune of Rs.12 crores.

Presently DRDA Kanyakumari has set up a District Supply and Marketing Society on the pattern of provisions in old IRDP and a team of marketing personnel engaged under that. The Kanyakumari District Supply and Marketing Society (KDSMS).

Fibre based products, like carry bags, hand bags, decoration items etc, Palm leaf products like baskets leaf mats, Coconut shell products, Toys made of paper, furits, terracota etc, Sea shell crafts, Cut flower items, bead ornaments.

Food items, Honey and honey based products, Pickles, Sea foods, Wafers (appalam), Flour items, Bakery items, Masala Powders, Fried Chips like banana, tapioca etc, Murukku, Awal, Jams, squash etc, Palm candies, Oils like coconut etc, Coconut shell charcoal, Plant fibre brushes, Rose water, Temple articles, jewellery, Greeting cards from plant materials, Vermicompost, coir pith compost, Thatched palm leaf, Detergents, soaps, Phenyl, Ready mades, Embroidery products, Pin lace products, Cloth items, Granite and marble based products, Sculptures, Boat building, Handlooms, Metal crafts like jewellery, Wood based items, furniture, carvings, leather products, Pottery items, Flower and flower products like bouquets, Roof and flooring tiles, Herbal medicines, Clay and hollow bricks.