Coir exports increase by 11.15 per cent

Kochi, May 7 (UNI) Export of coir products increased by 11.15 per cent in volume at 187566 tonnes, but in value terms there was a decrease of two per cent at Rs 592.88 crore due to Rupee appreciation for the fiscal 2007-08.

According to an official release here today, United States was the single largest market with a share of more than 40 per cent in the total export and the European countries had a share of 41 per cent.

The US, UK, Germany, Netherlands, Italy, Belgium, Australia, France, Spain, Canada, Japan, Greece, Sweden, South Africa, UAE, Portugal and Denmark were the major markets of coir and coir products.

Board Chairman A C Jose said the Rupee appreciation against Dollar had adversely affected the coir industry and urged the Reserve Bank of India and the Finance Ministry to put in place remedial measures to mitigate the problem.

Coir is exported in the form of raw materials like coir fibre, yarn and curled coir, and furnishing articles like door mats, matting, rugs, carpets, coir rope and rubberized coir and its products, pith based products for agricultural operations and soil erosion control materials and coir geotextiles.

The Board had participated in various international trade fairs and exhibitions and displayed the range of products available for export from India.

Recently, the Export Market Development Assistance Scheme of the Coir Board had been modified to encourage more and more small scale exporters and entrepreneurs with an export turnover of less than Rs.2 crore to undertake promotional measures like participation in exhibition, study tour and buyer-seller meet.

UNI MA VV SSI1645