Finished coir based products:

Export income up by 20 percent

Irangika RANGE

The total export income from finished coir based products has been increased by 20 percent during the first quarter of this year compared to the same period last year.

Plantation Industries Minister Mahinda Samarasinghe said it is significant that recording considerable income through coir based products imports currently since the entire coconut industry was in danger of collapse a few years ago due to lack of proper maintenance.

But as a responsible Government, we have intervened to revive the coconut industry and help other coconut based product manufactures under the directives of President Mahinda Rajapaksa.

He said that considerable improvement was recorded in the export of finished coir products such as coir fibre, brushes, handloom mats and matting, rugs,carpets and other coir based landscaping products.

Plans are afoot to convert the coir industry into a modern viable one.

The Coconut Development Authority has taken measures to commence a pilot project to encourage coir and coir based products manufactures in the Naththandiya area.

The program is successfully being implemented in this area and will be introduced to other areas shortly.

Meanwhile, the coconut industry contributed 1.4 percent of the GDP in 2009 while earning Rs. 29 billion as income through coconut and coconut based exports.

"We will initiate an action plan to increase the productivity of coir and coir based products coconut and other coconut based products. They hope to earn a considerable export income constantly during the coming years," he said.

Modern technology is essential to boost the industry which will result in increased productivity, better quality of products and better income both to the entrepreneur and the labourer.

Coconut cultivation covers around 384,836 hectares in the country. Most of the small scale cultivators including home workers at village level are engaged in coconut cultivation. Since there is a great demand in the world for environmental friendly products, like coconut shell based products, coconut wood based products, coir fibre, coir based products, coconut oil, copra, coconut cream, coconut jam, coconut yogurt manufactured in Sri Lanka are very popular due to high quality standards and the various and innovative designs.

"We have to conduct research to introduce more value added products in terms of eco-friendliness which will provide new opportunities for the development of the industry while creating more income generating avenues," he said.