India has set an ambitious target to log Rs 20,000 crore coir exports by 2022. This would also translate to creating additional 20 lakh jobs in this sector, according to minister of state for micro, small and medium enterprises Giriraj Singh. “Besides the export sector, government has plans to expand the domestic market for coir and coir products to Rs 40,000 crore in the next four years. For realising this target, the Centre would soon declare a National Coir Policy and roll out a National Coir Mission,” the minister told reporters at the sidelines of Coir Board Managers’ Conclave in Thiruvananthapuram. India exported 9,57,045 metric tonne of coir products worth Rs 2,281.65 crore to 115 countries during 2016-2017. China accounts for 40% of the total sales. For 2017-18, the export-target is Rs 2,300 crore.
“Efforts are on to diversify the range of coir-based products and set up manufacturing units across India. The Central Institute of Coir Technology (CICT), Bengaluru had developed coir plywood which can be used as panelling and acoustic material. The coir plywood would be price-competitive, compared to other plywood materials,” said Singh.
In Kerala, the ministry has been putting in place a network of Common Facility Centres (CFCs) to give manufacturing facilities for more than 10,000 small-scale manufacturers and workers. The CFCs would be competent and equipped to produce products like geotextiles, coir panels, coir needle felt, coir pith and handicrafts.
From the marketing side, the coir showrooms all over the country would be modernised and equipped for digital payments. Besides the modernised showrooms in Kerala, new showrooms will be set up soon at Ahmedabad, Chennai, Jammu, Patna, Jaipur and Tirupur.
Source: financialexpress.com