The Labour department will conduct an Industrial Relations Committee (IRC) meeting on December 14 to discuss the wage revision of cashew labourers. With some workers going on strike and a joint front of trade unions demanding immediate government intervention to implement wage revision, the industry has been witnessing some tension of late. According to labourers, their wages were last revised around seven years ago, and no steps have been taken to increase their working days. Many of the factories are not operating due to the shortage of raw cashew nut (RCN), and the Cashew Board, constituted for the procurement of raw materials, could not even meet the requirement of government factories. Adequate quantity of RCN to provide 200 days of employment in public sector factories is among the major demands of the unions. The Kerala government had formed a five-member expert committee to study the issues the sector faces and prepare a plan for its comprehensive development. Reopening of factories, providing employment for at least 200 days in public sector factories, reducing operational losses and the possibilities of increasing domestic production will be examined by the committee. The team will hold discussions with various stakeholders to find out their opinion about partial mechanisation and requirements to improve the living standards of cashew workers. While the committee will also study the issues of private processors and how bank loans can be made available to restart factories, launch of new value-added products, export and procurement of quality raw materials will be other focus areas.