Coir Processing Technologies
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Coconut fibre, or coir, is a low-value by-product of coconut production. In most countries coir is discarded as waste, sometimes it is used as a fuel, in few instances it is processed into products. Coconut production is largely the domain of small, poor farmers, mainly for the sale of copra. Coconut farmers, however, could earn an additional income if there were a demand for coconut fibre. Productive use of the fibrous material contained in the husk practically only takes place in India and Sri Lanka. As coir is a coarse, short fibre, traditional applications for coir are generally low-cost mats and nets, brooms and brushes, and fillings for mattresses and upholstery. These applications are facing strong competition from synthetic materials, thus eroding the demand for coir. Renewable, natural materials like coir do have, however, potential for uptake in profitable applications, provided they meet the required standards set by the markets. This relates in particular to technical stand ards without excluding the importance of issues like reliability of supply, price competitiveness, etc.