Although it was former chairman GS Panicker who first evolved alternative strategies to find out employment avenues to the workers in the event of mass unemployment due to a complete breakdown in the market, the diversification strategy could be implemented only last year.

The new products, pickles, curry powder and coconut cream were formally launched in Kannur by Chief Minister E K Nayanar. On the other hand, the other major player in the market, Sadhoo Beedi has already marketed its new range of products which include biscuits, cashew nuts and ground nuts. "We hope to transplant most ofour 30,000 workers to the new production lines we are executing within another eight years," co-operative chairman CV Kunhiraman said.

According to him, the industry will be able to survive only up to another 10 years to 15 years. Although the first five months of the current fiscal has seen an improvement to 222.76 crore beedis from 222.46 crore during the corresponding period last year, this year's performance would, however, not be different from the preceding years, co-operative secretary E Radha Madhavan said. He said the total number of beedis sold was 727 crore in 1990-91 which, however, fell to 702 crore in 1991-92.