SME Times News Bureau | 07 Feb, 2012
A record Rs.100 crore worth of business transactions were reported at the second edition of the International Coir Festival in Alappuzha (Kerala) on Monday, organisers said.

More than 80 delegates from overseas and over 125 from the country took part in the buyer-seller meet.

"A considerable volume of transactions centred around value-added products, such as rubberised coir, while interior decoration products have already generated huge business in just two days of the event," an organiser said.

Minister for Coir, Government of Kerala, Adoor Prakash said a multi-pronged strategy of quality improvement, better packaging, superior technology and strong marketing has been put in place to drive the resurgence of the coir sector in Kerala.

"It is only through sessions like these that Kerala can achieve this year's target of Rs.1,000 crore in exports and Rs.2,000 crore in domestic revenues," said Prakash.

Henner Schurholz, a delegate from Germany whose natural fibre products company Dekowe has been doing business with India for many years, said interactive sessions such as these were very helpful.

"The coir sector in India should concentrate on raising the quality of products, adopt sustainable methods of production and plan promotion strategies very carefully in order to compete with other global producers and capture new markets worldwide," said Schurholz.