The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Coimbatore News : Standards for agro textiles to be developed

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Jun 08, 2011
ePaper | Mobile/PDA Version

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Coimbatore

Standards for agro textiles to be developed

M. Soundariya Preetha

SASMIRA conducting seminars to educate farmers

COIMBATORE: The Synthetic and Art Silk Mills' Research Association (SASMIRA) has started developing standards for certain agro-textile products such as mulch mats and nets.

Association president M.H. Doshi told The Hindu here on Tuesday that it would evolve standards on the quality of fibre to be used, and methods of production.

Farmers world over were trying to use resources economically. Even in India, several textile products were used to improve crop productivity.

Maximum benefit

In an effort to help the farmers get maximum benefit from the use of textile products, the association was educating them to go in for certified ones.

“Textiles play a big role to protect crop and improve yield,” he said. Farmers should use standard products.

Farmers' awareness should improve and they should be trained to use agro textiles. Hence, testing and labelling of agro textiles was important.

The SASMIRA was conducting about five seminars a year in different States to educate farmers.

Centre of excellence

Association Executive Director U.K. Gangopadhyay said the Centre of Excellence for Agro textiles at SASMIRA was almost two years old.

Nearly Rs.11 crore was invested in the first phase and works had just started for the second phase. Testing and certification facilities would be created at a total cost of Rs.14 crore.

Product development, training, demonstration and incubation facilities would also be created.

Technology for agro textiles was capital intensive. However, the market for these products was huge. The centre would provide incubation facilities for three months to six months to enable entrepreneurs create a market for their products. It was essential to create more investment and manufacturing units.

“The domestic market is huge and vibrant for agro textiles,” he said.

The imports now were mostly for niche products such as protective covers, sun management ground covers and polymer mats.

Tie up

The association has tied-up with the Gujarat Agricultural University on product development.

It was looking forward to extension activity here in collaboration with the Tamil Nadu Agricultural University.

The association also planned an extension centre for testing of agro textiles in Punjab.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Tamil Nadu