With Vishu approaching, ‘kanikonna’ from Kerala is exported to several countries

Akhil Bleeko (left) and Behnan Ok Reji, who run Bleeko Imports and Exports Pvt Ltd
| Photo Credit: waves

This Vishu, not less than a number of Malayali households dwelling overseas will get up to see recent kanikonna (golden bathe or Indian laburnum) flowers as a substitute of the plastic ones. The yellow blooms, integral to Vishukkani — the show of auspicious issues that one ought to see as the very first thing on Vishu morning — are being exported to Canada, the UK, Germany and New Zealand by Kochi-based Bleeko Imports and Exports Private Ltd.

During Vishu, the spring harvest competition, Malayali diaspora internationally often opts for any obtainable yellow flower as an alternative choice to the kanikonna. Akhil Bleeko, one of many administrators of the corporate, admits that they’ve cashed in on the nostalgia issue related to the competition.

While kanikonna export to GCC countries (the Gulf Corporation Council that constitutes six Arab countries) is frequent, only some corporations ship it to different elements of the world. “It takes only a few hours for these flowers to reach the GCC countries by air. The duration of travel is longer for other countries like, for instance, Canada. It is expensive and there is always the risk of these delicate flowers getting damaged. However, we decided to take the risk and exported it to Canada last year. The response was so good that the shops placed the order this year as well,” says Akhil, who runs the corporate together with his pal Behanan Ok Reji at Kizhakkambalam. In Canada, the flowers shall be obtainable at shops in Kitchener, Toronto, Brampton, Etobicoke and Scarborough.

The flowers are predominantly procured from elements of Idukki and Ernakulam districts. “They are packed in 100-gm plastic covers and are sealed in thermocol boxes with ice packets,” Akhil says. He provides that they plan to export solely round 200 kilograms of the flower. “It is not easy to procure these flowers. Labour charges are also high,” he factors out.

Kanikonna prepared for packing at Bleeko Imports and Exports Pvt Ltd in Kochi
| Photo Credit:
SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT

They are additionally exporting a package with gadgets wanted for Vishukkani, together with uruli (bronze cookware to prepare the kani), para (conventional brass vessel), new dhoti, Krishna idol, vaalkkannadi (conventional hand mirror), sindoor, thiru udayada (conventional fabric formed like a hand fan), wick, lamp, oil and so on as well as to mango, jackfruit, kanivellari (golden cucumber), coconut, banana and banana leaves.

The five-year-old firm been transport merchandise equivalent to ethnic eats, breakfast dishes, vegatables and fruits, handicraft gadgets and so on particular to Kerala. “A breakfast kit, for example, dosa-sambar-chutney combination, dishes such as Angamaly manga curry, and different types of thoran, kozhukatta, unniyappam, full-course sadya etc. are some of the products we export, in addition to Marayoor jaggery and nettipattam (elephant caparison),” says Akhil, 30.

The firm is one of many divisions underneath Bleeko Group International, which began operations 10 years in the past. “Canada, the UK and New Zealand have been our main market. This year we are expanding to Germany and Malta,” Akhil says. The firm additionally runs an export start-up facility centre, claimed to be one-of-its-kind in Kerala.