The Hindu Business Line : Kerala seeks ban on coir fibre export

The Kerala Minister for Cooperatives and Coir, Mr G. Sudhakaran, has demanded immediate ban on export of coir fibre to save the coir industry in the State.

He said in a statement released here on Wednesday that coir fibre exports from the country increased more than four-fold in the past one year. Quoting figures, the Minister said that while 4,196 tonnes of coir fibre was exported till September 2008, it rose to 19,443 tonnes this year.

The coir industry in the State depends mainly on neighbouring Tamil Nadu for fibre.

Uncontrolled export deprives the industry of the basic raw material and threatens the livelihood of workers, the Minister said.

‘Big loss’

He said that 35,000-tonne coir fibre export fetches a maximum of Rs 40 crore. If the same quantity is used for making coir and coir products for export, it will provide employment to 1.5 lakh workers in coir manufacturing and 50,000 others in coir products and marketing. The export value will also go up to Rs 400 crore, he added.

Mr Sudhakaran recalled that the Chief Minister had written to the Prime Minister last month seeking curbs on coir fibre exports. The Minister also wrote to the Union Commerce Minister in this regard but there has been no response from the Centre, he said.

He sought help from the Union Ministers from Kerala in saving the coir sector and said the Centre would be persuaded to take a favourable decision with the help of MPs from Kerala.

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