India likely to get more coir export orders from US

14 Feb 2009, 1918 hrs IST, PTI

India likely to get more coir export orders from US

 

KOCHI: India's participation at the ongoing International Erosion Control Association (IECA) conference and its connected exhibition at Reno 

Navada, US, is likely to attract more export orders from US and IECA member countries, according to Coir Board Chairman V S Vijayaraghavan.

 

The growing global awareness on the need to use natural fibre products was bound to find increasing demand for environment-friendly products like coir geotextiles for various applications especially in erosion control, storm water management, natural resource protection, ground and roof cover, cycle path and for restoration of vegetation in arid and rocky lands, a board release quoting Vijayaraghavan, who is attending the conference, said.

 

Field trials conducted in India had established the durablity of geotextiles in various end uses like road and embankment protection in rural areas. Its low cost applications also made coir products more popular, he said.

 

Being held in the context of the International Year of Natural Fibre, the IECA conference assumed importance as India was aiming at increasing its geotextile product exports from the existing two per cent to 5-10 per cent at the prevailing 1,400 million square metre US market in the coming years.

 

The IECA is represented by about 3,500 members, including its Indian chapter. India's competitiors in this field included Sri Lanka, Philippines, Vietnam, Korea and China.

 

Coir Research Institute Director, Dr U S Sarma, accompanying Vijayaraghavan, made a technical presentation on 'Coir based Soil Less Natural Grass Instant lawn.

 

The chairman would also be participating in the four-day CAFLEX 2009 fair in Moscow from Feb. 09