How Has Kerala Manufactured 5,500 Crore Condoms Over Six Decades?

Thiruvananthapuram, July 15 (NationPress) Over the span of six decades, HLL Lifecare Limited, a mini-ratna public sector enterprise under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, has successfully produced 5,500 crore condoms and continues to thrive.

Currently, it boasts an impressive production rate of 221.7 crore condoms annually, establishing itself as one of the world's leading condom manufacturers.

This mini-ratna company is based in the state capital.

N. Ajit, the Director (Marketing) of HLL, mentioned that HLL operates eight factories nationwide.

Out of these, five factories are dedicated to producing contraceptive products.

The Peroorkada factory in Thiruvananthapuram generates 124.6 crore condoms annually, while the Kanagala factory in Karnataka manufactures 37 crore condoms, 98 lakh oral contraceptive pills (OCPs), 12.5 crore non-steroidal OCPs, and 1.87 crore emergency contraceptive pills.

The Kochi facility produces 30 crore male condoms and 2.5 crore female condoms each year, while the Airapuram factory in Kerala adds 27.6 crore condoms to the tally annually.

The Aakkulam factory in Thiruvananthapuram produces 55 lakh copper-Ts and 25 lakh tubal rings each year.

"HLL has played a pivotal role in India's achievements in population control. We are leading the charge in introducing various new contraceptive products in the nation. Initially, HLL made condoms accessible throughout the country under the brand name 'Nirodh'. During that era, 'Nirodh' was the most sought-after condom brand. Subsequently, numerous other brands emerged. Nonetheless, HLL rapidly ascended to become one of the world's largest manufacturers of contraceptive products," Ajith stated.

He also noted that Kerala has consistently been at the forefront of national family welfare initiatives.

"In the late 1950s, the Central government expressed concern over the swift increase in India's population. To tackle this issue, the National Family Welfare Programme was launched. The family planning campaign, promoting the slogan 'Small family, happy family,' gained significant traction. At that time, condoms were imported at exorbitant costs. Consequently, the government decided to produce condoms domestically. Given the abundant supply of rubber in Kerala, it was determined that the condom manufacturing unit should be established there. Therefore, in 1966, HLL was founded in Thiruvananthapuram under the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare," he elaborated.

In addition to contraceptives, HLL's Manesar factory in Haryana specializes in rapid in-vitro diagnostic test kits, the Pharma factory in Madhya Pradesh's Indore produces a variety of pharmaceutical products, and the Bhagwanpur Factory in Uttarakhand's Haridwar is dedicated to manufacturing and supplying Ayurvedic and Unani medicines.