The Coir Development Department in Kerala will organise ‘Coir Kerala 2011,’ the largest-ever expo on coir and natural fibre products of the State from February 4-7 in Alappuzha.
The State Minister for Co-operation and Coir, Mr G. Sudhakaran, told presspersons here that the expo would create opportunity for transfer of technology, know-how and widening of contact base, besides providing a platform for interaction on business, trading and joint ventures.
Coir exporters, mainly from Kerala and Tamil Nadu and exporters of other natural fibre from across the country and modern coir machinery manufacturers would participate in the expo, he said. Around 100 exporting companies would exhibit their products in the international pavillion, while 150 exhibitors would take part in the domestic pavillion. An international seminar and a buyer-seller meet would be the highlights of the mega event, the Minister said.
He said the State Government had devised several strategies to vitalise coir industry infusing innovative marketing technologies, based on the recommendations of the Coir Commission report. The State’s coir industry was on the threshold of an exciting future, the Minister said.
Some of the major programmes implemented in the sector included debt relief to coir workers, incentives for sustained production, skill upgradation of coir workers, generation of more employment opportunities, better market intervention, re-organisation of coir PSUs and establishment of de-fibering mills, he said.
A coir machinery manufacturing factory was in the final stages of completion at Alappuzha, which was meant to accelerate the activities related to the modernisation of the industry. A number of defibering units had also started in the State to meet raw material requirements of coir industry.