From Kanyakumari to Kashmir, Coir road show rolls on

The Indian Coir Roadshow, being organised as part of the diamond jubilee of the Coir Board, rolled into the capital city Wednesday.

It was flagged off from Kanyakumari Tuesday.

A specially-decorated bus, Coir Kranti Express, stacked with various coir products will criss-cross the country touching 17 states and return to Kochi in the first week of February.

"The aim is to create awareness about various types of coir products, especially among people in North India" Coir Board chairman G. Balachandran told reporters here.

The products include curtains, jackets, children's frocks, bags, slippers and umbrella.

The Board has signed a pact with the Silk Board to manufacture jackets using a mix of coir and silk.

"We expect stronger market for our geo-textiles and manure from the coir pith besides coir wood, which is a substitute of wood from the fibre," said Balachandran.

The highlight of the road show will be its Delhi leg, coinciding with the World Coir Fair, the Board is organising.

The Nov 14-30 fair will feature product sales, exhibition and seminars on coir at Pragati Maidan, Chetanalaya and Dilli Haat.

India exported coir products worth Rs.1,116 crore in 2012-13.

To boost sales, the Coir Board plans to open 1,000 sales outlets across India.