IICF to focus on building brand image for coir

Our Commodities Bureau

Kochi, Oct 14: The coir industry has been urged to focus on building an international brand image which can instantly evoke a sense of unique craftsmanship and assured quality, especially in the wake of stiff global competitive market. Union Minister for Agro and Rural Industries Mr Kariya Munda while inaugurating the ‘Indian International Coir Fair-2001’ (IICF) said the market within the country for coir products was reasonably good. But it was important that the sector should tap the international market through product diversification, product development, product innovation and a well-articulated marketing policy with quality assurance.

Coir had the characteristic of being an eco-friendly product and the Coir Board should take advantage of this, he said. Also, coir had the quality to prove workmanship, which was very important.

Associations of the industry should take a proactive role and become partners in development and promotion activities. State governments should realise the importance of the coir industry as a potential sector for rural industrialisation leading to employment creation at low investment, he added.

State Agriculture Minister KR Gouri in her presidential address asked the Centre to broaden the resource allotted to the coir industry. There were over 625 coir cooperatives in Kerala. This sector was a pathfinder and a trend setter in rural industrialisation. But unfortunately the industry is in a very piquant situation with the youth drifting away. This had to be arrested. There had to be steps to make the industry more viable having an agenda focused on mechanisation without labour displacement and thus increasing productivity. There were half a million workers in the coir sector and nearly 80 per cent of them were women. The working environment had to be improved and there was to be the emancipation of these working women, she added. The fair organised by the Coir Board in association with the United Nations Development Programme, the Kerala government, the Coir Exporters’ Associations and the Indian trade Promotion Organisation has over 350 delegates and 40 stalls displaying different coir products.

At the seminars to be held over the next two days, 35 papers on the different aspects of the coir industry will be presented. The fair should also give individual players to interact with international players and fix deals, Coir Board chairman Christy Fernandez said.
The fair also recognised the services pioneers and doyens of the industry. Mr Revi Karunakaran, chairman of the Kerala Balers Pvt Ltd, and Mr Ramesh Pai of the Manipal Group were presented with lifetime award for their contributions.

Coir exports fall in H1
Coir exports during the first half of this fiscal fell by Rs 8.86 crore to Rs 144.16 crore from Rs 153.02 crore during the corresponding period last year. In quantity terms, 31,940 tonnes of coir and coir products were exported this fiscal compared to 33,960 tonnes during the corresponding period last fiscal, Coir Board sources said.

However, with several orders on hand, there was every possibility of exports maintaining last year’s level of nearly Rs 314 crore, the sources added. The crisis in the US would soon pass over, they felt. There was improvement in the exports of rubberised coir, mats, geotextiles and coir pith. Rubberised coir of 173 tonnes compared to 167 tonnes was exported. In the case of coir mats, exports rose to 14,213 tonnes compared to 14,166 tonnes. Coir pith exports went up to 6,455 tonnes compared to 5,542 tonnes.

There was a fall in exports in the case of coir mattings, and coir yarn. Coir matting export fell to 2,609 tonnes compared to 3,597 tonnes in the first half of last year. coir yarn exports declined to 5,969 tonnes compared to 7,375 tonnes.