Question : COIR INDUSTRY

(a) the steps taken by the Government to harness modern technology in coir industry including Orissa, State and Union Territory-wise ; and

(b) the contribution of Central Coir Research Institute therein?

MINISTER OF MICRO, SMALL AND MEDIUM ENTERPRISES(SHRI MAHABIR PRASAD)

(a) The Ministry of Micro Small & Medium Enterprises is implementing the Science and Technology Programmes to harness modern technology in coir industry in the coconut producing states including Orissa and Union Territories through Coir Board and its two research institutes viz. Central Coir Research Institute (CCRI), Kalavoor and Central Institute of Coir Technology (CICT), Bangalore.
The CCRI and CICT of Coir Board have developed a number of new production and manufacturing techniques with a high potential for making quantum strides in production. The new techniques developed by the Coir Board are disseminated to the industry in all coconut producing States through various measures which include extension services activities, technology transfer meets, entrepreneurship and quality improvement programmes, etc,. Publicity is also given to the new technologies through field demonstrations/applications.
In Orissa State, a Pilot Scale laboratory has been established by the Board for facilitating production of “pithplus” (an edible species of mushroom spawn used for converting coir pith into a bio-organic fertilizer) and also for testing coir pith samples.

(b) The major Research and Development achievements in modernizing technology in coir industry by the Central Coir Research Institute are given below.

(i) Modernization of extraction and processing of coir fibre.

(ii) Development of a bacterial cocktail known as COIRRET for faster retting of coconut husks.

(iii) Development of technology of using COIRRET for quality improvement of mechanically extracted unretted green husk fibre.

(iv) Development of Motorised Traditional ratts to spin different varieties of yarn.

(v) Developed a zero pollution process by which vegetable oil in water emulsion is applied on coir fibre along with urea, which facilitates a desirable effect of better spinning and higher production. This process eliminates conventional process of soaking coir fibre in back waters, lakes and lagoons that pollutes the environment.

(vi) A metallic handloom ‘Anugraha’ has been developed that makes it suitable for women workers to weave coir mats leading to better daily earnings.

(vii) Developed ‘Anupam’ loom to weave all types of mats, mattings and carpets. The loom is pneumatically powered and suitable for women workers.

(viii) Developed a ready made lawn ‘cocolawn’ using coir non woven felt, coir pith and composted coir pith.

(ix) Developed the products out of coir and phenol formaldehyde resin in collaboration with RRL, Trivandrum, which are economic and effective substitute of commercial plywood.

(x) Developed coir geotextiles which are effective in soil erosion control.

(xi) Developed different shades of coir from natural colours to produce 100% ecofriendly coir products, in collaboration with IIT, New Delhi.