New Delhi, Sep 14 (IANS) India is the world’s largest producer of coir and accounts for more than 80 per cent of global coir fibre production, but the industry is also closely linked with women’s livelihoods as they account for nearly 80 per cent of those engaged in fibre extraction and spinning.
This makes coir an important rural livelihood sector — connecting coconut farmers, workers, women artisans, cooperatives, entrepreneurs, manufacturers and exporters, according to a factsheet issued by the Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs).
What begins as coconut husk is becoming a source of enterprise and livelihood across India’s coconut-growing regions. The potential of coir extends well beyond the production of raw fibre. Through processing, design and innovation, coir can be transformed into a wide range of higher-value products, including mats, ropes, brushes and other household products, decorative items, handicrafts, and eco-friendly packaging solutions.
The Central Coir Research Institute has developed eco-friendly coir rail wheel axle packaging cups as an alternative to HDPE plastic cups. Such innovations show how a traditional natural fibre can find applications in modern industries while supporting environmentally responsible production.
With support from the MSME Ministry, particularly through the Coir Board and the Prime Minister’s Employment Generation Programme (PMEGP), coir is becoming a pathway to self-employment, women’s empowerment and local economic growth.
In Kadiyam, East Godavari district of Andhra Pradesh, Allam Gowthamy transformed coconut fibre and coir waste into a successful enterprise. She received specialised training at the Coir Board Training Centre, Dhawaleswaram and established Adigo Coir Products in 2024–25 with a project cost of Rs 10 lakh, supported by a Rs 6.50 lakh bank loan and PMEGP assistance. The unit now produces eco-friendly doormats, ropes, decorative dolls, and handicrafts, the factsheet states.
The enterprise has achieved an annual turnover of around Rs 35 lakh and a profit of approximately Rs 10 lakh, while generating direct employment for six women. But her impact extends beyond her own enterprise. She has trained nearly 120 women in coir mat weaving, rope making and handicraft production, helping them develop livelihood opportunities. Her success has also inspired around 5 additional coir units in nearby areas with the PMEGP.
Another example of turning coir pith into an opportunity for sustainable agriculture is that of P. Surendran, who established Sampoorna Plus Agro Fertiliser Enterprises (SAFE) in Kerala’s Kozhikode in November 2024. With training and technical support from the Coir Board, Kannur and Central Coir Research Institute (CCRI), Kalavoor, he began producing eco-friendly coir pith bio-fertilizer that improves soil fertility and moisture retention.
In just one year, his enterprise has built a customer base of 500+, sold over 20 tonnes of bio-fertiliser, and generated a turnover of Rs 13 lakh, with a profit of Rs 4 lakh in FY 2024–25. The unit also employs five workers, including two women, creating local livelihood opportunities. From coir waste to a sustainable business, his journey shows how innovation and technical support can create new business opportunities from materials that might otherwise have limited economic value, the factsheet added.
–IANS
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