Kerala Industries Minister P Rajeeve has said there is a new-found enthusiasm in the coir sector as evidenced in the quantum jump in production and procurement in the state. He said this while launching five new products developed by Thiruvananthapuram-based National Coir Research and Management Institute (NCRMI), an institution under the Department of Coir.
“Our aim is to create and market coir products based on demand,” the minister said. This is possible only through a conscientious drive for product diversification. Technology being developed need to be transferred to the right party in good time so these are products are made available without much of a delay. This is what the State government is seeking to facilitate, he added.
Five new products
The new five products developed by NCRMI include a digital coir runnage meter (that which measures the length of the fibre in length cm); CocoAura, a chemical-free air freshener made from coco pith; Coconurture, an organic potting filler; Tricopith Pro, a product that expedites composting; and the coir divider, road dividers made of coir coco logs.
C Abhishek, Director, NCRMI said the digital coir runnage meter could potentially trigger a breakthrough in the industry in so far as it goes to replace the traditional method of manually measuring runnage by digital means. Accurate and user-friendly, this low-maintenance testing instrument will raise the level of efficiency of in determining runnage for coir yarn.
Saves time, labour
The instrument automates and simplifies runnage measurement, significantly reducing time and labour, which enables the process to be completed in less than a minute. Equipped with a pre-programmed microcontroller and an optical encoder, the instrument promises high accuracy. Runnage is a key quality parameter, and the coir sector has long suffered from the lack of a scientific mechanism to measure it with respect to various types of coir yarn. Coir weaver cooperatives have even been denied their due with procurement agencies citing non-compliance with runnage specifications.
Controlled release
The CocoAura air refreshner is a safe and chemical-free solution to invigorate indoor spaces. This is realised from Cocopith, a natural material sourced from coconut husk, making it an excellent choice for areas where children spend their time. CocoAura possesses antimicrobial and anti-fungal characteristics and the capability for controlled release diffusion. Even after the product’s useful life has ended, the coir pith/fibre used in the air fresheners can find a second lease of life in terms of enriching gardening soil. The cause of sustainability is best served in this manner.
Compost management
Tricopith Pro is reinvents composting and planting practices, and is the result of extensive research, a testament to NCRMI’s commitment to advancing sustainable agricultural techniques, Abhishek said. The product is engineered to elevate composting, with a focus on crushed tender coconut and coir pith. This solution serves to expedite the composting period and offers a dynamic tool to optimise organic compost management.
Coconurture is a breakthrough in organic potting fillers and represents a blend of crushed tender coconut husks, coir pith compost, farmyard manure, trichoderma and soil in minimal proportions.