Technology for bio-conversion of coir pith into manure

Researchers in Coir Board have developed a technology for bioconversion of coir pith into an organic manure, which has the quality of replacing urea, a top official of the Board said today.
The Allapuzha Research Centre of the board has come out with the technology by which Coir Pith Organic Manure can be produced in compost method, Coir Board chairman C P Radhakrishnan told reporters here.
By adding more nitrogen, this organic manure has all the qualities to replace urea, thus helping the agriculture sector and farmers, he said.
Giving details about the four-day India International Coir Fair 2016, beginning here on July 15, concurrently with Agri Intex, Radhakrishnan said the board was in touch with Union Road and Shipping minister Nitin Gadkari to discuss the possibility of using coir as geo textile material while laying roads, particularly highways connecting rural India.

The geo textile has got approval from the Indian Road Congress, he said.
Union MSME Minister Kalraj Mishra on the inaugural day will launch a 'Coir Kranti Express,' a caravan, which would display the entire range of coir products.

It will pass through almost all the States in 120 days and will touch Jammu and North Eastern State and conclude at Kochi, he said.
On performance, Radhakrishnan said the coir products exports in 2015-16 have reached a new peak of Rs 1,901 crore--20 per cent growth in volume and 17 per cent in value terms.
Asked about the future target, he said that the board wanted coir production and exports to be doubled in the next three years.

Stating that the board has sanctioned 20 coir clusters across India, including 12 in Tamil Nadu, Radhakrishnan said that three Regional Centres are being set up in Guwahati, Bhubaneshwar and Kolkata, even as Pollachi in Tamil Nadu is already functioning as a regional centre.