Overseas demand for coir pith and coir fibre boosted country’s coir and products exports in the 2014-15 fiscal, witnessing a 10.5 per cent growth in value and 16 per cent growth in quantity.

The exports clocked a revenue figure of whopping ₹1,630 crore during the period compared to ₹1,476 crore in the previous fiscal.

The country exported 6,26,666 tonnes against 5,37,040 tonnes in the preceding year.

China emerged as the major importer of coir fibre for manufacturing mattress boards and their focus to import more coir pith/grow bags to cater to horti/agricultural requirements have also contributed more to the export kitty, Surendra Nath Tripati, Chairman, Coir Board, said.

Coir fibre with export earnings of ₹419.23 crore constituted 26 per cent of the total products exports.

Similarly, coir pith with an export of ₹432.95 crore comprised 27 per cent. All other value-added items put together constitute 47 per cent of the total exports, he said.

Of the total 115 countries, the Chairman said that China topped the importing countries with 28.6 per cent in value and 39 per cent in quantity.

The US emerged as the second largest importer with a share of 21.3 per cent in value and 12.4 per cent in quantity.

According to board officials, coir handloom products exports also showed a marginal increase by quantity but no increase by value compared to last year.

While coir pith, coir fibre, handloom mat, coir rope, curled coir and coir rugs and carpets registered a growth ranging from 12 to 45 per cent, the officials said that coir yarn, tufted mat, power-loom mat, handloom matting, coir geo-textiles and rubberised coir recorded a decline.

The Board’s export market development assistance to popularise coir and products abroad also yielded results given the growth in exports both in quantity and value terms, the officials added.

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