Kannur district has had its industrial importance from very early days. Being blessed with a variety of factors such as good soil, salubrious climate, rich forests, enormous fishing potentials, minerals as well as infrastructural facilities like road, rail, inland water transport, etc., the district offers ample scope for the development of industries.

Nevertheless, Kannur is an industrially backward district in the State. There are only one manor and five mini industrial estates in the district. Keltron Complex, Mangattuparamba and Western India Plywood's, Valappattanam are the two major industries. The Western India Plywoods is one of the biggest wood based industrial complexes in South East Asia. The district has 12 medium-scale industries, most of which are either cotton textile or plywood manufacturing.

Textiles, beedi and coir are the important traditional industries in the district. about one lakh people depend on the textile industry for livelihood. The textile industry which accounts for 40 percent of all SSI units in the district, was introduced in early 19^th century by the German Basal Mission.

The first ready-made garment unit in Kannur and the first hosiery unit in Kuthuparamba were started around the end of the 19^th century. The beedi industry provides employment to about 50,000 people. Famous beedi co-operatives like ‘Dinesh Beedi’ are in Kannur district.

The coir industry which uses traditional technology provides employment to about 11,000 workers.

There are 6934 small scale industrial units in the district.  The district has 202 sick units which is about 9.3 percent of the sick units of the state. Only 4828 units are working one. 162 industrial societies and four power loom societies are also functioning here. Kannur, Thalassery Payyannur, Thaliparamba and Edakkad have been identified as growth centers, having potential for industrial development.

The Kerala Khadi and Village Industries Board is vested with the responsibility of organizing, developing and promoting khadi and village industries in the district. The Khadi and Village Industries Commission is extending financial assistance like loans, for the development of khadi and village industries.

The Board is extending financial assistance in terms of grants and loans to artisans engaged in khadi and village industries, through co-operative societies, charitable societies and individuals.

Statistics of small Scale Industries. 

Banking
Kannur is one of the developing districts in the State. To meet the economic needs of the people, 205 bank branches spread over nine Development Blocks operate in the district. These include 70 branches of North Malabar Gramin Bank, the head office of which is in Kannur town itself. The blockwise number of commercial bank branches is shown below. 

Over and above these, the district has a strong co-operative banking sector with branches spread over remote areas in the villages. The co-operative sector has been a pioneer in extending credit under government sponsored schemes like Integrated Rural Development Programme and to agricultural and tertiary sectors. 

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