Coir exports to exceed target.

Kochi: A four-fold increase in export of curled coir in February would help the sector to register impressive gains during the current financial year that ends in March.

Cumulative exports during the first eleven months of 2009-10 are already higher by 13% when compared to the entire 2008-09. Export realisations till now in 2009-10 has been estimated to be around Rs 623 crore and the volume was around 189,858 tonne.

Exports have already exceeded the target for this fiscal and may end up somewhere between Rs 730-740 crore, sources at the state-run Coir Board said. Exports during the period April-February 2009-10 was estimated to be around 249,529 tonne valued at Rs 707.44 crore as against 174,240 tonne valued at Rs 578.76 crore during the same period last fiscal.

In February alone, volume of exports went up by 85% and value by 24% as compared to the same period last year.

The impressive export performance has come because of strong demand from China , which has been consuming enormous volumes of curled coir and fibre from India .

Export of curled coir in February alone rose 1,677% in volume terms and 1,458% in value terms.

Similarly, coir fibre exports during the same month has increased by 452% in volume terms and 375% in value terms.

While market share of traditional handloom products like coir mats, rugs and carpets is declining, demand for machine manufactured PVC tufted mats and coir raw materials is rising, Coir Board sources said.

China and Korea mainly imports low quality coir fibre from India and this has adversely impacted the availability of quality coir fibre in India . Processors are not interested in producing high quality brown fibre required for the production of rugs, mats and carpets, sources said.

Source : Financial Express