The Coir Board is spinning a new hope for the Rs 800-crore coir industry by hosting the India International Coir Fair (IICF) 2007 at the Jawaharlal Nehru International Stadium in Kochi, Kerala, from December 7 to 11.
In this biggest coir event in the world, traditional and modern products of the industry will be showcased in 75 of the total 108 stalls. The rest of the stalls have been allotted for Khadi and Village Industries, National Small Industries Corporation (NSIC), and Coconut Development Board. This apart, craftsmen from Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Orissa will demonstrate live their workmanship.
Coir Board Chairman AC Jose said that the fair was being held with a three-pronged strategy to provide participants the opportunity to explore new avenues of growth through direct interactions, forging business alliances, and exchanging resourceful industrial information and perspectives.
This would enable the industry to explore the global arena more closely. The board claims that IICF will open an avenue for buyers to have a direct interaction with manufacturers who display their products at the fair.
Over 100 buyers from around 40 countries, including the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Japan, Korea, Mexico, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Brazil, Poland, Dubai, Australia, the Netherlands and Uruguay, are participating at IICF 2007. It will also witness the participation of leading buying houses from India.
An international seminar comprising various technical sessions pertaining to the coir industry will be held as well. All stakeholders, from coir workers to scientists, will participate in the seminar, which will discuss all major issues faced by the industry.
The mega show will be inaugurated by Chief Minister of Kerala VS Achuthanandan, in the presence of Union Micro Enterprises Minister Mahabir Prasad, Union Minister of State for Commerce Jairam Ramesh, and State Coir Minister G Sudhakaran.
– Bengaluru Bureau
