Despite the pandemic, the export of coir and coir products from India during the first half of the fiscal 2020-21 was qoeth Rs. 1662.43 crore, registering a rise of around Rs. 300 crore from the figure of Rs. 1361.45 crore in the first half of the previous fiscal. This is also the highest half year figure ever recorded in the history of the Coir Board.
During the first half of this fiscal, 5,43,393 metric tonnes (MT) of coir and coir products were exported as against 4,93,399 MT during the first half of the preceding fiscal, an official press release said.
The increase, in value, works out to be 22.1 per cent and, in terms of quantity, 10.1 per cent, compared to the corresponding figures of the previous fiscal. The trend shows that coir exports will cross all the records by the end of this year, the government claimed.
Coir pith, with an export earning of Rs. 835.26 crore, comprised half of the total export of coir products from the country. Coir fibre, with an export earning of Rs. 303.69 crore, constituted 18 per cent of the total exports. The value-added items put together constituted 31 per cent of the total exports. Tufted mats topped among the value added products (20 per cent in value).
During the first half of this fiscal, 97 countries imported coir and coir products from India, with the United States topping the importing countries with 30 per cent in value and 17 per cent in quantity. China was the second largest importer with a share of 23 per cent in value and 37 per cent in quantity.
The Netherlands, the United Kingdom, South Korea, Spain, Australia, Italy, Germany and Canada also imported substantial quantities of coir and coir products during the period.
The total production of coir and coir products was 4, 40,000 MT during the first half of the current fiscal.
