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G.K. Nair

KOCHI, Nov. 5

EXPORTS of coir and coir products during the first half of the current fiscal have increased by 21 per cent in volume and 18 per cent in value. If this trend continues, total exports during the year are expected to cross Rs 450 crore as against the targetted Rs 408 crore.

A total quantity of 40,848 tonnes valued at Rs 179.27 crore were exported during the first half as against 33,878 tonnes worth Rs 152.12 crore during the corresponding period last fiscal.

There has been a significant growth in export of coir mats which stood at 19,964 tonnes valued at Rs 129.66 crore compared to last year's 15,790 tonnes worth Rs 99.51 crore. Similarly there was a substantial increase of 67 per cent in volume and 83 per cent in value of coir pith. The volume of coir pith exports were 11,025 tonnes, valued at Rs 8.72 crore, as against 6,590 tonnes worth Rs 4.78 crore last fiscal, a senior official of the Coir Board told Business Line. There was also increase in the exports of coir rugs and carpets and rubberised coir, he said.

However, the exports of coir yarn and coir geo-textiles witnessed a decline during the year. Coir yarn exports dropped from 6,185 tonnes valued at Rs 18.03 crore to 4,443 tonnes worth Rs 12 crore this year. The demand for this item has dropped following low intake by the agricultural sector abroad. Mainly, it was being used in hop cultivation where introduction of high yielding varieties had brought down the requirement of coir yarn, he said.

One of the major markets for Indian coir geotextiles has been South Korea and ever since Vietnam has entered the market the demand for coir geo-textiles has dropped, he said. The price conscious consumers in Korea have shifted to Vietnamese geo-textiles, which is available at low prices. Besides, the proximity has contributed to low freight cost, he pointed out.

Decline in export of coir mattings which has fallen to 2,423 tonnes valued at Rs 16.02 crore from 2,724 tonnes worth Rs 18.62 crore was attributed to the availability of substitutes made of other natural fibres and synthetic material at low prices and attractive designs, he said.

He said the demand for coir mats and other products was expected to go up during the Christmas season and if this pace of growth was maintained the exports would cross Rs 450 crore during the current fiscal.

Another significant factor contributed to the increase in exports value is that ever since the withdrawal of minimum export price (MEP) there has been an increase in the unit value, he added.

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