Coir exports touch record high

Kochi, Jun 1 (UNI) The export of coir and its products from India touched an all-time high of Rs 508.45 crore during 2005-06, registering an increase of seven per cent over the previous year.

Announcing this at a press conference here last night, Coir Board chairman A C Jose said the exports had exceeded the target of Rs 490 crore set for last year. In fact, the performance would have been even better had it not been for the truckers' strike at the Kochi Port towards the end of the financial year, he added.

In volume terms, the exports crossed 130,000 tonnes, 11 per cent more than the previous year.

The export target for this year was Rs 560 crore, Mr Jose said.

While the US and the European countries continued to be the main markets for Indian coir products, accounting for more than 80 per cent of the total exports, new markets were being tapped in Canada, Japan, South Africa and the UAE.

Coir is exported in the form of raw materials like fibre, yarn and curled coir, furnishings like door mats, rugs, carpets and coir rope and rubberised coir and its products, pith based products for agricultural production and coir geotextiles as soil erosion control materials.

Mr Jose said the Export Market Development Assistance Scheme of the Coir Board had been modified recently to encourage more small scale exporters, with a turnover of less than Rs two crore, to undertake promotional tours.

The Board would organise participation in international fairs as well as buyer seller meets for small scale exporters. They will be provided air fare and stall rent upto Rs 1.50 lakh in the case of manufacturer exporter and Rs 1.75 lakh for exporters from non-traditional areas, he added.

UNI ARC DK1217