Coir meet to generate business worth Rs.250 crore

Buyers from 54 countries interacted with sellers and exhibitors at the Coir India 2016 meet here on Wednesday that is expected to generate business deals and export orders worth Rs.250 crore.

It was the third day of a five-day show-piece meet that brings together buyers and sellers involved in the coir industry, an official statement said.

Wednesday saw some 160 buyers from 54 countries as well as 260 registered settlers and exhibitors dealing with an array of coir products, including geo-textiles, interact for possible business deals.

Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman P.J. Kurien described Coir India as a "success story" which, he said, had helped promote and preserve Kerala's largest cottage industry.

"India has the best quality coir and coir products in the world. The one-to-one interactions over the past several years have helped bring this to the world's knowledge," he said.

Kurien called for "greater modernisation, better technology, intensive research and consistent marketing, especially in the domestic market" in order to keep Indian coir products ahead of the competition.

Abdul-Hameed Saeed, a first-time delegate from a business group in Saudi Arabia which has been importing coir products for over 20 years, said he expected to procure coir fibre this year.

This is the sixth edition of the biggest international event on coir and natural fibre products. The event ends on Friday.