Coir exports during the first quarter of the current fiscal (2009-10) managed to perform well when compared to the first quarter of the last fiscal, thanks to a surge in export of input materials like fibre and curled coir to China.
According to estimates of the Coir Board, exports increased by 1.8% in volume and 6.29% in value during the first three months. However, in June the performance was disappointing as export volume fell by 5% and value dipped by 13.72%, compared to the same period in the last fiscal.
Exports during last fiscal of 2008-09 increased in volume by 1.2% and value by 5.2%, despite suffering reversals in the last few months. The exports during the last fiscal stands at 1,89,858 tonne valued at Rs 623.80 crore. The country exported 1,87,566 tonne of coir products in fiscal 2007-08 valued at Rs 592.88 crore, as against 1,68,754.75 tonne valued at Rs 605.16 crore in 2006-07.
Interestingly, curled coir and coir fibre, which is used as an input for several other products are showing good growth even in the troubled times. Curled coir has grown by 200 % in volume and 413 % value in during the three months, while curled fibre used to make mattress has grown by 245 % in volume and 246 % in value. Reports suggest that China is the destination for these products. Incentives in shipping are helping China in capturing larger share of the mattress trade, sources said.? Interestingly China is seen importing low value and lesser quality fibre from India. The country is focusing on the price advantage. It has captured a fair share of the Australian market,? sources at the Coir Board said.
?The market for traditional products is shrinking and the impact on the sector would be severe in the coming days,? KC Eapen, secretary of the Coir Shippers Council said. ?Coir fibre and curled coir is the only item that is showing a positive trend. Traditional items like rugs, carpets and matting are showing a declining trend,? he added.
The US is the single largest market, accounting for more than 37% of the total export. European countries together accounted for more than 41%, with the remaining 22% shared by a number of countries. Even though the domestic market is bigger in revenue share, the market is less evolved, traditional and brings lesser per unit realisation.