India stitches gains in tufted mats export market at China's cost

V.Sajeev Kumar Updated - August 25, 2021 at 02:30 PM.

Covid results in its increased use in EU, US

KOCHI, KERALA, 22/05/2013.(Unionbudget_2014, coir). A worker engaged in coir mat manufacturing machine at a production unit near Kochi in Kerala. Coir and coir product exports have touched a record Rs 1,116 crore in FY 13, an increase of Rs. 64 crore over the previous year. The total exports in the previous fiscal stood at Rs. 1,052.6 crore, and 4,29,500 tonnes of coir and coir products were exported against 4,10,854 tonnes in the preceding year. The increase in quantity was five per cent whereas the total value has increased to six per cent. While coir fibre, tufted mat, coir matting, coir geo-textiles and coir pith registered positive growth, coir yarn, handloom mat, power loom mat, coir rope, rubberised coir, curled coir, coir rugs and carpets and other items showed a downward trend. Seventy six per cent of the total exports were contributed by non-traditional products, whereas handloom products such as mats, mattings, coir geo-textiles put together contributed only 24 per cent of the total exports. Coir and coir products were exported to 112 countries out of which the share of US was 22.8 per cent in value and 13 per cent in quantity. China continued to be the largest importer of coir fibre, contributing 19.4 per cent in value and 33.8 per cent in quantity according to Coir Boards data. Photo: K.K. Mustafah 10/07/2014

China's loss is India's gain at least in terms of tufted mats shipments exports during 2020-21. This is mainly because of the higher cost for similar Chinese door mats due to tariffs on their products.

The emerging situation has helped tufted mats to emerge as the second biggest product in coir and products exports basket last fiscal, overtaking coir fibre, with export earnings of ₹807 crore (21 per cent).

Increased demand

Mahadevan Pavithran, Managing Director, Travancore Cocotuft , said increased use of door mats by buyers in the US and Europe as their first line of defence in the Covid pandemic to keep dirt outside is the reason for the demand and shipments surge. Covid necessitated stay at home and spawned a do-it-yourself (DIY) trend, forcing people to renovate their homes, considering the more time spent inside their houses.

Besides, online sales have also took door mats to the doorstep of potential buyers, he told

BusinessLine .

Apart from tufted mats, the Coir Board pointed out that the rising shipments of coir pith, coir fibre, hand-loom mats all have led India to set an all-time record in the history of coir and products exports by achieving a 37 per cent value-wise growth.

D Kuppuramu, Chairman, Coir Board said the export earnings from coir and products in FY21 was ₹3,779 crore with a shipment of 11,63,213 tonnes, a growth of 18 per cent vis-a-vis previous year, despite the Covid pandemic situation.

Coir pith with export earnings of ₹1,920 crore constituted 51 per cent of the total exports. Coir fibre garnered ₹629 crore, while value-added items put together constituted 33 per cent.

The US topped the importing countries with 31 per cent in value and 19 per cent in quantity. China is the second largest importer with a share of 21 per cent in value and 35 per cent in quantity. The other countries were Netherlands, South Korea, UK, Spain, Australia, Italy, Germany and Canada.

Tuticorin Port handled 50 per cent of the exports, thanks to its proximity to the pith and fibre producing areas such as Pollachi, Theni, Dindigul and Tenkasi. Cochin and Chennai are the other major ports that shipped substantial quantities.

Complimenting exporters for initiating special efforts to complete the export orders during the pandemic times, the Chairman said the Board is now focusing on achieving an export turnover of ₹7,000 crore in the next couple of years.

Published on August 25, 2021 07:31