Kerala - Kochi   

Innovative coir products

KOCHI: The India International Coir Fair, to be held at the Jawaharlal Nehru International Stadium here from December 7 to 11, will be inaugurated by Chief Minister V.S. Achuthanandan.

Union Minister for Commerce Jairam Ramesh will be present. The fair will showcase innovative coir and coir-based products and the focus will be on creating a platform for the coir industry to expand to overseas markets. While a majority of the 108 stalls will be set apart for coir products, khadi and coconut products too will be showcased.

Coir door mats, mattings, carpets, rugs, rubberised coir mattresses, needled felt, geotextiles, coco peat, garden articles and wood substitutes have made their mark in the market, said A.C. Jose, Chairman of the Coir Board, at a curtain raiser of the event organised here on Monday.

He said that the recent advancements in technology in the sector would be on show. The tribal people from Oriya engaged in making handicrafts from coir and craftsmen from Kerala and neighbouring States too would be present. Buyers from 40 countries were expected to participate in the event, where seminars and technical sessions too would be held. “The coir material used as a substitute for wood is gaining popularity for making furniture, kitchen cabinets etc. It must be remembered that India dominates the world coir market and Kerala contributes 80 per cent of the Indian exports,” Mr. Jose said.

Chairperson of the Coconut Development Board Minnie Mathew said that despite coir facing competition from cheaper synthetic and man-made fibres, it had tremendous scope as a traditional industry.

Mayor Mercy Williams, who was the chief guest, said “Kerala will lose her image if coconut cultivation is stopped. Marketing of value-added products from coconut will go a long way in promoting cultivation.”

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