A humble fight against globalization

Campus: In a humble endeavor to safeguard cottage industries and thereby to fight the upsurge of Multinational Companies in the country, the Kerala Sasthra Sahithya Parishad is trying to carve out its own niche by manufacturing indigenous toilet soaps.

Realizing the adverse effects of globalization on the country’s economy, the Parishad members, in 1999, started the venture of manufacturing the ‘Parishad soap’, which is dubbed by them as the ‘synergy of the general public to ward off globalization’.

Toilet soap, being an integral part of the ‘daily – bathing Keralites’ lives, was found to be the appropriate product to start with. Moreover soap manufacturing will assist the resurgence of the coconut growers in the State, who bear the brunt of liberalization, since a main ingredient of the product is pure coconut oil.

Apart from coconut oil, the other ingredients of toilet soap are potassium hydroxide, talc, castor oil, perfume and colours. The higher the amount of pure coconut oil, the higher will be the Total Fatty Matter (TFM) rate of soap, which determines its quality.

“But how many of the fragrant soaps in the market contain a high rate of TFM’, counter the Parishad members. “Along with adulterating the ingredients with animal fat, what the MNC’s often do is that they buy coconut oil from here at cheaper rates and sell the manufactured soap at a much higher price. Why should we let them exploit us when we can manufacture soaps of high TFM rate at lower costs?” they ask.

Last year, the Vallikkunnu and Peruvalloor units of the Parishad near the Campus started manufacturing toilet soaps. Around 500 soaps are manufactured each month and the campus community is their main target market.

Using the raw materials collected from the Integrated Rural Technology Centre in Mundoor, through the Malappuram Parishad Bhavan, they offer a variety of toilet soaps such as sandal, lime, carbolic, silver moon etc. Their prices range from Rs. 5 to Rs. 8 and the main marketing strategy is door – to – door sales. Unemployed women undertake both manufacture and sales.

Campaigning is done in schools and offices to make people aware of the product. Moreover, demonstrations of soap making are carried out at various Parishad units. One such demonstration was held at the Govt. Model Higher Secondary School, Calicut University Campus, on October 21. This will help the unemployed in the locality to find a means of livelihood.

Aiming to extend a helping hand to the unemployed lot and thereby making the villages self – sufficient, the Parishad plans to embark on related production ventures in the coming days.

Author: Sajila, Sangeetha KP