Coir industry aims at Rs 4,000-cr exports in 12th Plan period

President Pratibha Patil has said that the coir industry is a segment that generates large-scale employment, especially for women.

Goods made from coir, especially geo-textiles, are eco-friendly products that hold a special appeal in an environmentally conscious world, she said after presenting the national awards for excellence to successful Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises (MSME) sector.

The coir industry has set an export target of Rs 4,000 crore for the 12th plan period (2012-17), compared to the present level of Rs 800 crore, according to Uday Kumar Varma, secretary, Union ministry of MSME. He expressed the confidence of achieving the targeted level.

The president also stressed the need to make India a 'talent hub' for the world through quality training that meets global standards and fulfills the requirements of the 21st century.

She congratulated the award winners and expressed hope that it would be an acknowledgement of their accomplishments and should inspire them to reach new horizons of success, as also encourage others to excel.

Union MSME minister Virbhadra Singh, presided over the function which was also attended by Uday Kumar Varma, secretary, ministry of MSME and Coir Board chairman V S Vijayaraghavan.