The Kerala Government has announced an overhaul of its husk procurement scheme to meet a long-standing demand from the coir industry to address the shortage of raw materials.

The new scheme will equip workers in the sector to create a vast procurement network through various incentives and utilise as much of the coconut husk the State produces annually, Adoor Prakash, the State Minister for Revenue and Coir said.

The shortage of coconut husk, the basic raw material for coir production, is one of the biggest challenges faced by Kerala. Schemes were introduced in 2010 and 2012 to streamline husk procurement, but they have not yielded the desired results. Despite subsidies, the State is still dependent on husk from other States, the Minister said.

Under the scheme, individuals who bring raw husk for processing to accredited fibre-making units will be given an incentive of 25 paise for every green husk and 15 paise for dry husk.

Coir cooperatives who procure the husk directly or through agents will be provided transport cost of ₹250 for every 5,000 husks and ₹50 for every additional 1,000 husks.

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