The coir industry, one of the major traditional industries in the State and second only to agriculture as a source of employment in Kerala, provides employment to around 4 lakh persons, of which 84% are women. With 10.05 lakh hectares under coconut cultivation, this accounts for 45% of the net cropped area in the State.

Concentration of coir industry in the State:
Alapuzha , Kayamkulam Chirayinkeezhu, Kollam, North Parur , Trichur , Kozhikode, Kannur, Ponnani, Vaikom

Varieties of coir yarn produced:
Ashtamudi, Anjengo, Mangadan, Artary , Vaikom, Koilandy , Arror Sp, Muppine, Rope Yarn

Varieties of coir products produced & exported.
Matts, mattings, rubberised coir products, mattresses, pillows, cushion, coir, geo-textiles, tuffes, mats, coir pith, rugs, carpets, curled coir. While the production of coir products stood at 15,560 MT, as on 1999 - 2000, the total exports of coir products stood at 58,947 MT.

Statistics of Coir Co-operative Sector
524 primary yarn producing societies
10 small scale producers co-op. societies
72 mechanised coir co-op. Societies

The various agencies for promoting coir in the State include a Coir Directorate, Coir Workers' Welfare Fund Board, Coir Parks, Coirfed, Coir Corporation, Coir Board and so on.

Coir Directorate
The Coir Directorate caters to the needs of the various coir co-operative societies by marketing their products, helping in quality improvement by providing technical guidance and providing financial assistance. The various project offices functioning under the directorate include those at Chirayinkeezhu, Kollam, Kayamkulam, Alapuzha, Vaikom, North Parur, Trichur, Ponnani, Kozhikode and Kannur

Major schemes implemented by the Department
1. Integrated coir development projects:
For the modernisation and mechanisation of industries to improve quality and quantity
To provide better environment to workers For better wages

2. Revitalisation of sick and dormant societies.
To increase production by reviving sick and dormant societies.
To improve production and to provide more employment.

3.Market Development assistance
To sell the products of primaries, Govt. provides incentives by way of market
development assistance as rebate, discount etc.

Coir Workers Welfare Fund Board
The government contributes to the Board to provide welfare measures that include pension to coir workers, educational assistance to the workers' children, marriage assistance, provision of geriatric centres and so on.

Projects under implementation
Geo-textiles development programme
Rs. 865 lakhs investment for popularisation of Geo-Textiles
To improve the utility of coir yarn by way of diversification.
To prevent soil erosion.
To protect roads, rails, canal embankment for construction of roads.
For prevention of sea erosion and other related application

The schemes will be implemented by the Department of Coir Development through Coirfed and Coir corporation. This project proposes to implement 50 pilot projects through local bodies, 20 state wide projects with the help of NGOs, 10 projects under various development departments, 10 national level projects, 10 projects with the help of exporters and 50 geo-textile production units

Coir Parks At Alapuzha

COIR PARK - A
Cherthala Taluk, - Alapuzha District
Extent - 23.40 acres
Area allotted - 21.15 acres to 14 entrepreneurs
Investment expected by entrepreneurs - 95 million

COIR PARK - B
Cherthala Taluk - Alappuzha District
Extent - 17.06 acres
Area allotted - 17.06 acres
Alottee - 4 govt. undertakings
Investment expected by entrepreneurs - 150 million

2. HIGH TECH COIR PARK AT PERUMON - KOLLAM

This High-Tech Park provides a meeting ground for scientists, technologists and entrepreneurs with universities, research establishments, manufacturing units and is expected to open up possibilities to develop a wide range of eco-friendly products based on coconut fibre. The park is to be implemented by the Centre for Development of Coir Technology (DOCT) Trivandrum with the assistance of State, central and national financing institutions at an estimated cost of Rs. 170.8 million.

OTHER GOVERNMENT ORGANISATIONS

COIRFED
Apex Federation of 600 old Primary Co-op., Societies
4 Regional offices
Over 100 large showroom network all over India.
Largest suppliers of coir yarn, mats and mattings, rubbeerised coir products
R & D Wing undertakes, research on various applications of coir yarn and mized coir yarn with rubber.

COIR CORPORATION
Fully Govt. owned organisation
Undertakes marketing of products of unorgansied sector.
R & D on Geo - textiles applications, popularization of geo-Textiles

FOAM MATTINGS (India) Ltd.
Govt. of Kerala Undertaking
Engaged in the production of rubbersied coir products, marketing and export.

COIR BOARD
A Central Govt. organisation for the entire development of coir sector
Research Centre at Kalaroor does various research activities in coir and coir based products.

Contact Address

Director of Coir Development
Nandavanam, Palayam, Thiruvananthapuram -33
Phone No: 0471-322046
Fax No: 0471-322046