The coir technology park will comprise all coir-related activities starting from collection of husk and its further processing such as defibering, retting of coir fibre, treatment of ret liquor for recycling and spinning and manufacture of value added products like coir door mat, matting, carpet and geotextiles. The project aims at upgradation of coir industry. Coir workers involved in the production will be given training to operate modern equipment.

Training in new technological operations will be given at all levels of production of coir and value-added products. Improvement of productivity, promotion of employment generation and better remuneration will be part of the project.

According to sources in the Coir Board, research is going on to produce biogas from coir pith. The CentralCoir Research Institute has taken up the task. It is part of a major research and development drive in the coir industry to produce new products and upgrade existing products.

A new product launched by a Kochi-based company, Vysali Coir, is likely to see vast potential in the industry. Coir atlas, made from coir matting, can be used for transporting stacks of steel sheets. It is likely to replace wooden dunnage used as load-bearing separators to carry steel sheets.

These separators are used to facilitate the use of slings and other handling equipment for shipping the consignments. Characteristics like eco friendliness, bio-degradability, water-resistant capacity, anti-skid property, capacity to resist heat and load-bearing capacity are the advantages of coir atlas.

The board had also recently taken steps to introduce quality improvement and implementation of ISO 9000 and 14000 series in the industry.

In a tie-up with Delhi-based Consultancy Development Centre, the board organised a workshop to createawareness among exporters about total quality management. The step has been made to orient the exporters towards foreign trade. Value-addition for domestic market is limited. It is only for exports that some of the companies have come up to make value-added products.

Export of coir products in July were about 4,078 tonnes worth Rs 20.84 crore against an export of 3,801 tonnes worth Rs 18.30 crore. During the period from April to July 1998, 15,974 tonnes of coir products were exported at a value of Rs 76.69 crore against 15,227 tonnes at Rs 72.96 crore during same period last year.