It is the turn of Sony and Godrej to set their sales targets for this Onam. Sony aims Rs.100 crore turnover with a marketing investment of Rs.5.5 crore. Godrej has set Rs.80 crore as their sales target compared to their Rs. 52 crore business last year, an expectation of 50% growth. Both of them also announced various Onam special offers.

Kerala government can consider establishing an employment exchange in partnership with private firms. This will be a great way to make jobs available for a larger public even in hinter lands. With Akshaya centres and broadband connection at all Panchayats, an employment exchange that can be accesed over internet will be a boon for all in Kerala. Karnataka governement has plans to partner with TeamLease. Politicians in Kerala might think why partnering with a private enterprise, and may decide to do it alone. But a public enterprise will not be able match resources of a private enterprise here.

Onam is the biggest shopping season in Kerala. Economy eagerly awaits a heady Onam every year as it is the momentous time when every Malayali open their wallets. After a tepid Onam last year, expectations are huge this time. The buzz has started even though it is still a month away. Onam is a season when consumers are canvassed to spend for their wants rather than needs. Consumers will be convinced that they are getting unforeseen and unbelievable offers. It's a time when consumer prudence generally takes a walk and returns back after their indulgence only to realize that they have been outsmarted by some marketing professionals. But it doesn't matter as the saying goes 'Kaanam Vittum Onam Vanganam (Unnanam)'. Like every year, electronic goods, textiles, gold, automobiles, fancy ornaments, home decor & furnishings and alcohol would be on demand like there is no tomorrow. Discount offers will be a regular feature at every store. Electronic goods manufacturer LG a...

As per the comment by Indian Commerce Secretary, Rahul Khullar, government may reduce customs duty on natural rubber which is at 20% now. Rubber prices should moderate with a reduction in customs duty.  Internationally the prices of natural rubber is in the range Rs.150-160 per kg while it is Rs.170-180 in the domestic market. This has been hurting tyre manufacturers. Automobile industry is in a quandary where they are not able to meet customer demands due to lack of tyres in the market. Recently India became the second largest consumer of natural rubber after China. One leading commercial vehicle manufacturer is rolling out trucks with only 4 tyres fitted. They are fitting another two tyres while the vehicle is with dealers. 

Business Line has a report here  that also shows a list of towns with ranks according to Income Tax collections. Kochi is ranked 19th with a collection of Rs.1091 crores in the financial year 2007-'08. This was an increase of 42% from the previous year. Thiruvananthapuram is ranked 41st with a tax collection of Rs.471 crores, less than half of Kochi. It can be said that the rank indicates business potential of that particular city. Thus it is significant to note that Kochi ranks above Lucknow, Coimbatore and Madurai.

Kerala State Road Transport Corporation [KSRTC] has put out a tender inviting applications for licence to display advertisements on their 5473 buses which includes 20 A/C buses. The tender can be seen here . Tender is for 2 years which can be extended for another 2 years with a 25% increase. Tender costs Rs. 25,000 and closes on 3rd August, 2010. There was a notification last year as well. Whatever happened there was only very few advertisements seen on buses. This is a big opportunity for everyone involved - advertiser, agency and KSRTC - provided the license is with a professional agency with national reach and there is a mechanism inside KSRTC to maintain advertisement materials on buses. As such buses other than premium are not even washed and taken care off well. Advertisements are a gold mine for KSRTC. It would be better for KSRTC to take an agency on board for a fee (fixed + variable) and work with them to get advertisements and mange them too. There are many more op...

Kerala government made Rs.483 crores selling lotteries in the year 2008-09. Revenue from lotteries grew a substantial 31% from the previous year. Lottery is huge business in Kerala. Lottery agents and shops are ubiquitous. It provides large scale employment. Everybody seems to buy tickets on a daily basis. Interestingly the governement opposes online lotteries. Is lotteries good for the economy? An economic pragmatist would say an emphatic no.

Today is yet another 'Hartal' day. The last one was on 26th June, 2010. Two hartals within a fortnight to protest the recent fuel price hike by the central governement! Economy takes a toll. On the positive side, hartal is a day for rejuvenation. It is a day when economic rat-race takes a pause, and people spend quality time with their family and friends. They can afford it as all their peers and competition is doing the same! Isn't it a wonderful day?

McCormick & Company Inc has acquired 26% stake in Eastern Condiments Pvt Ltd. The stake is bought for approximately Rs. 163 crores ($35 million) and the deal values Eastern Condiments approximately at Rs. 629 crores ($135 million). McCormick holds 50% stake in AVT McCormick Ingredients Pvt Ltd. AVT is a prominent tea brand in Kerala. Eastern is a leading spices, curry masala and other semi processed package foods brand in Kerala. Their products primarily reaches Keralites across the world. Mr. M.E. Meeran is the chairman of the company. VC Circle  has a detailed report. McCormick must have bigger plans in Kerala and India.

It's tough to run a hotel these days with inflation above 10% and vegetable prices doubling in two years. They have now one more costly item to worry. It's their waste. Hotels in kochi need to bribe corporation staff around Rs.3500 per day to clear and dispose their waste. Out of no choice hotel managements pay this passing a share of this cost to the consumer. Kochi has more waste than it can manage. Recently a housing society dumped their waste inside a government office for not doing their duty. People in Lalur, a place where some wastes are dumped, have suffered for long and is on a protest for redemption. Kalamassery, a major transit point of Kochi, has reached a point of no return. The place is stinking and keeps reminding everyone without fail. Rapid urbanisation and with it lack of professional management of waste is the reason. Each one of us do not take responsibility for wastes that we generate and prefer to pass it to the corporation staff. Solution lie within...

Today my cousin got excited to see her engineering college on the newspaper - an eye grabbing quarter page ad with photo of the building. She proudly announced it to everyone and held it to her chest for every one to see. She started reading loud from the ad and declared quite nonchalantly that some of the claims are lies! A lot says about our educational institutes and claims they make in yet another admission season. Ethics fly off their windows as they see education merely as a business proposition.

A billboard of CIMAR Hospitals claims "Making Babies, Saving Babies, All at one place  Together." Add to that an image of an infant kept on one hand. Probably they want to convey - "we are in the business of making babies. Do you need one?"

Kerala government gives rice for Rs.2/Kg to the public. This is flawed economics as it will only breed incompetent people with minimal productivity. Farmers will suffer at the other side. Paddy farmers will be bargained by the government to source rice at the lowest price. Why foster a generation with incompetence? Let them earn their money and spend part of it for their basic living.

There is a chain of "holistic wellness clinic" in Kerala called "Heal Wellness". I wonder how the name occured. But such is the state of branding in Kerala. The clinic also makes a superlative claim that they are the first holistic wellness clinic in Kerala. Prospective consumers and public deserve much more respect.

Thanks to Amit Verma (India Uncut Blog), I came across this insightful article by Johann Hari: "The dark side of Dubai." All of you who look at Dubai in awe should spare some time to read this. This could be a moment of revelation for you. Please read the article here -  Johann Hari: "The dark side of Dubai." If you need a reason to read it, you may have it below. An Offence That Cannot Be Ignored (via The India Uncut Blog by Amit Varma on 1/25/10) The WTF statement of the week comes from a Dubai cop: The woman confessed that she had sexual intercourse with her fiancé and that she had alcohol. We cannot just ignore such an offence. The woman is question is a British tourist who complained on New Year's Day that she had been raped by a waiter the previous evening. The cops "arrested her after she revealed during questioning that she had drunk alcohol and had sex with her fiancé, with whom she was on holiday." As for the waiter, he's pre...

Speculation abound that a consortium of Muthoot Pappachan Group, Mohanlal, Priyadarshan and few investors from Middle-East would be bidding for an IPL team in the next round. VC Circle has a report here . I find it difficult to figure out their business model considering the diversity of promoters and the interests each would have. An IPL team is more like a business entity, which needs a business model and strategy. And everything revolving around cricket makes it a high risk, high return business. Let us wait to hear more. I can't stop thinking of names...Kerala Kuttans?

Muziris heritage circuit in Kerala is one of the tourist circuits identified by the Ministry of Tourism for large scale promotion. Muziris heritage circuit generates great interest among natives and tourists alike in Kerala. It is expected to be open to tourists this year. Rs.17-crore road/canal development project is planned by the Kerala Government. Artefacts, paintings and documents have been identified to be displayed at the museums. The Muziris heritage circuit would showcase the life and times of the ancient port town and would be an educational experience. Kodugallur, land that once used to have trade contacts with Rome, Greece, China and Persia, was known as Muziris in its hey day. Recently this has been contested by archaeological findings at a nearby place called Pattanam. Muziris, existed till first century AD, was the gateway for various religious faiths like Christianity, Judaism, Islam and others to India. St.Thomas, the apostle of Jesus Christ is b...

Dandelions. A Russian variety of Dandelions could be the new source of rubber. There are researches going on in Germany and US to extract rubber from the plant's sap. If found successful Dandelions could be a better option to produce rubber than traditional rubber tree - Hevea Brasiliensis. Read more about this from The Economist.

GKSF went past with out enticing many shoppers. This was on the expected lines. GKSF lacks leadership commitment and a sound strategy. Strategy part was discussed in an earlier post. To add to that, the event was marketed only by few sub-standard TVCs and outdoor ads. Also there were few occasional claims by various ministers including home minister. I failed to understand the involvement of home minister to declare the event a grand success. Few prize winners announced during the event would have done wonders. The brand GKSF was hijacked by many jewelers in their ads as if the prize money is from them. It is known that GKSF is a government initiative but who is leading and driving the event. Is ministers the right people to drive such an event? Is it such an event that we would not need a full time CEO who would promote the event round the year and across the world? To sum it up, GKSF got a long way to go to prov...

Kerala sets up a sub-committee to oversee the implementation of Unique Identification Number [UID] project with Chief Minister as chairman. UID, a prestigious central goverment project, will assign a unique identification number for every Indian citizen. The UID sub-committee in Kerala reaffirms the hearsay that project could be piloted in Kerala.