Coir pith to act as garden soil for city dwellers

Coir pith also known as coil dust, the spongy material found inside the coconut husk, is finding new applications. After getting a clinical round of value addition, it is now adorning the balconies of urban settlements as soil, which is conditioned for plants to grow.

"Coir pith, which was otherwise used to fill low-lying lands, now fetches India an annual export income of more than Rs.250 crore," G. Balachandran, Coir Board chairman, said.

The product is mainly exported to the US, the Netherlands, Britain, Spain, Egypt and Gulf countries.

"Even if your busy city life forces you to leave the garden unattended for a week or so, the plants can survive as the pith has ideal water retention power," said M. Kumaraswamy Pillai, Officer on special duty with Coir Board.

The board has invented a technology for bio-conversion of coir pith into organic manure. It is organising a World Coir Fair currently.

Put in eco-friendly containers, it is put up for sale at India International Trade Fair 2013 at Pragati Maidan and will be on display also at Dilli Haat and Chetanalaya later this week.