Centre urged to select Alappuzha as 'town of export excellence'

Kochi, Mar 30 (UNI) Coir Board chairman A C Jose has urged the Centre to include Alappuzha in the list of 'towns of export excellence' in view of the Rs 700 crore worth of coir exports from there.

In a letter to union Commerce Minister Kamalnath, Mr Jose said that Alappuzha was eligible to be included in the list after the Centre recently reduced the export value from Rs 1,000 crore to Rs 250 crore to include small towns in the list.

Following this, Aroor in Alappuzha (sea exports) and Kannur (handlooms) had heen included in the list. Alappuzha had exported coir and coir materials worth Rs 700 crore and was planning to double this in the next five years.

Mr Jose said the coir industry, which was about 150 years old, employed nearly one million people. During 2005-2006, the export of coir materials was about Rs 460 crore. If the materials could be transported to Kochi from Alappuzha by rail and from there by containers to foreign countries, the transportation expense would be cut by nearly 50 per cent, he said.

He also urged the Kerala government to build a container depot at Alappuzha, which was estimated to cost Rs one crore.

UNI ARC VV AK1615