Coir Industry in India

The Indian Coir industry is the best example of sustainable developmental efforts. Read here to know more about the coir industry.

The Ministry of Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises inaugurated the ‘Enterprise India National Coir Conclave 2022’ at Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu.

• The event is being organized with the idea of bringing about a coordinated effort between the State and Central Governments to promote the production of coir and coir products and to identify new areas of application of coir.
• A ‘Run for Coir’is also being organized on 6^th may, 2022 to promote the use of coir, as a natural, degradable, eco-friendly product. More than a thousand people, including dignitaries, college students, and the general public are expected to participate in the run.

What is Coir?

Coir is coconut fiber which is a natural fiber extracted from the outer husk of coconut and used in products such as floor mats, doormats, brushes, and mattresses.

Coir is the fibrous material found between the hard, internal shell and the outer coat of a coconut. It is a 100% natural fiber as it is obtained from the coconut husk which is a renewable source.

Coir is the best example of ‘waste to wealth’, which provides a sustainable solution, as it is eco-friendly and helps conservation of water and soil.

Coir Geo Textile is naturally resistant to rot, molds and moisture, and free from any microbial attack hence it needs no chemical treatment. It has a permeable, natural, and strong fabric with high durability

Geotextiles are those fabrics used in geotechnical applications, such as road and railway embankments, earth dikes, and coastal protection structures, designed to perform one or more basic functions such as filtration, drainage, separation of soil layers, reinforcement, or stabilization.

Coir Products are eco-friendly and gained “Eco Mark” certification by the Ministry of Environment and Forests, Government of India.

Coir products save the environment and help to reverse Global Warming, like aid in achieving the sustainable development goals (SDG) as well:

• Coir pith is used to save water
• Coir Geotextiles are used to save soil
• Coir Wood is used to save trees and forest

Coir industry in India

Coir Board was set up under the Coir Industry Act, 1953 by the Government of India for the overall sustainable development of the coir industry in the Country.

• The functions of the Board as laid down under the Act include undertaking, assisting, and encouraging scientific, technological, and economic research, modernization, quality improvement, human resource development, market promotion, and welfare of all those who are engaged in this industry.
• The Head Quarters of the Board is located at Coir House, Kochi, Kerala, and is running 48 establishments including 29 marketing outlets across the country.
• For the last more than 60 years Coir Board is steering the industry and the industry today plays a vital role in the economic development of rural areas of the country. Coir industry was concentrated in the State of Kerala, which has now been proliferated to other parts of the country also, with the efforts taken by the Board.

The functions mandated under the Coir Industry Act are carried out by Coir Board under the various Schemes/Programmes, including research and development activities, training programs, extending financial support for setting up of coir units, domestic as well as export market development, welfare measures to the workers, etc.

Employment:

• The coir industry sustains more than 7 lakhs of coir workers, predominantly women, in different states of the country.
• It is estimated that around 80% of the workforce in the industry are women and it plays a vital role in rural women’s empowerment in many coastal districts of the country.

Under PMEGP (Prime Minister’s Employment Generation Programme), Coir Units have been started in different states of the country

In Gujarat, the Ministry of MSME has sanctioned the following 2 SFURTI clusters which will throw open more employment opportunities- Samavedana Coir Cluster and Tarapur Coir Cluster.

In Maharashtra, the Ministry of MSME has sanctioned the 2 SFURTI- Pendur Coir Cluster and Sawantwadi Coir cluster.

Coir export:

There are 1570 registered coir exporters in the country.

The export of Coir and Coir products from India during the year 2020-21 registered an all-time high record of Rs.3778.98 crores.

Research and Development in the Coir industry

The Coir Board’s Research Institutes are undertaking new R&D projects in coir with various CSIR units and Universities, in the field of spinning and product diversification.

The initiatives of the Coir Board have led to a series of product development and diversification activities that have helped to launch several value-added products, meeting consumer needs.

• New end-use applications of coir like the use of Coir Geotextiles for preventing soil erosion, conversion of Coir Pith into valuable bio-fertilizer and soil conditioner, and Coir Garden articles have gained popularity in India and abroad.
• The growing affinity towards environment-friendly products has helped coir and coir products in domestic as well as foreign markets.

Coir Board proposes to develop the coir industry in the Konkan Zone by taking the following actions:

• To act as an exclusive center for extension of services of the Board and an integrated hub for promoting various coir developmental activities such as incubation/skilling, marketing (domestic & export promotions), R&D center, technical assistance, scheme implementation, etc. in the states of Maharashtra, Goa, and Gujarat.
• Creating awareness to the coir artisans through Entrepreneurship Development Programmes, awareness programs on various schemes of the Ministry including SFURTI Scheme, Market Development Programmes for strengthening the export sector, etc.
• Creation of prospective entrepreneurs utilizing PMEGP and SFURTI schemes of the Ministry of MSME by providing necessary handholding support and financial assistance.

Initiatives to promote the Coir industry

Coir Udyami Yojana is a credit-linked subsidy scheme for setting up coir units with project cost up to Rs.10 lakhs plus one cycle of working capital, which shall not exceed 25% of the project cost. The scheme is being implemented by the Coir Board.

The Coir Vikas Yojana scheme facilitates the development of domestic and export markets, skill development and training, empowerment of women, employment/entrepreneurship creation and development, enhanced raw material utilization, trade-related services, and welfare activities for the coir workers, etc.

This is undertaken through the following 6 schemes:

• Skill Upgradation and Mahlia Coir Yojana
• Export Market Promotion (EMP)
• Development of Production Infrastructure (DPI)
• Domestic Market Promotion (DMP)
• Trade and Industry Related Functional Support Services (TIRFSS)
• Welfare Measure (Group Personal Accident Insurance Scheme)

Way forward

MSMEs play a vital role in generating employment opportunities and contribute a lot to the socio-economic development of the country. The coir industry is fast advancing yet nature-friendly MSME fulfilling the socio-economic needs of the country.

Coir industry is opening up new avenues in the application of its products and is moving to Pan India with the popularisation of the schemes and services available, thereby providing employment opportunities and also the products and their applications.

The coir has got immense potential and can play an instrumental role in enhancing exports and adding to MSME’s share in the GDP of the country.

Read: Coconut cultivation in India