The Hindu Business Line : Call to set up more coir units in AP

Visakhapatnam April 19 There is a need for setting up more cottage units and SSIs for coir manufacture in Andhra Pradesh, as the precious coconut fibre is being burned as fuel and several agro-based units are being starved of raw material, according to Mr Purushottam Malani, Executive Director of Centuary Fibre Plates Pvt Ltd.

Mr Malani, who was here in connection with the opening of a showroom (Agarwal Home Comforts), said his company, which is producing rubberised coir mattresses and related products, needed at least 500 tonnes of coir per month and only 100 tonnes or so was available in Andhra Pradesh. The rest was being procured from Tamil Nadu and other southern States.

NO VALUE-ADDITION

He said coconut was being grown in the two Godavari districts, Visakhapatnam and Srikakulam extensively, but "the precious coconut husk is being burned up as fuel. There is no value-addition and only during the past two years some attempts have been made to promote coir units in the State."

He wanted the State Government to issue a GO, as the Tamil Nadu did, banning the use of coconut husk as fuel. "It requires only Rs 25 lakh or so to set up a coir unit and the Coir Board is offering several incentives for such units.

Still, there is a lack of awareness among the prospective entrepreneurs. We are doing our best to promote awareness. We are giving an assurance to buy back the coir. It is much easier, cheaper for us to get the coir from the State itself," he explained.

Regional office shifting

The shifting of the regional office of the Coir Board from Vizag to Rajahmundry was a welcome move, as it would be more accessible to the farmers and entrepreneurs in the Godavari districts, the main coconut belt, he said. He wanted the board to intensify its efforts in the region.

On his company's performance, he said it was the market leader in Andhra Pradesh, Orissa and Madhya Pradesh in selling rubberised coir mattresses. "We are selling our mattresses and other products in 10 States, our annual turnover being Rs 60 crore. We are growing at 30 per cent per annum. Still, there is great demand for mattresses and the all-India market is estimated at Rs 1,200 crore or more," he said.

The company had set up two manufacturing units in Secunderabad, the second one recently, and it was selling products worth Rs 22 crore in Andhra Pradesh. Its exports are negligible, he added.

More Stories on : Coir | Interiors & Homes | Andhra Pradesh

Article E-Mail :: Comment :: Syndication :: Printer Friendly Page