Alleppey coir cluster (Kerala)

Introduction

Alappuzha town (erstwhile Alleppey) is home to a coir industry cluster. Thousands of skilled craftsmen are engaged in the processing of coir fibre into products that are marketed in India and abroad. Their operations are of eight types: (1) husk collection, (2) retting, (3) de-fibering, (4) spinning, (5) weaving, (6) dyeing, (7) product manufacturing, and (8) packing and shipping. Coir processing has traditionally a cottage industry, but substantial changes are taking place as more diverse, capital-intensive products come online. Non-coir inputs are also increasingly being used, with coir accounting for only 60% of the total product.

Products manufactured

Coir products like mats, matting, geo-textiles, rubberized coir, PVC–coir mats and mixed products

Number of MSMEs

451

Energy consumption

Low

Main fuels

Firewood, coconut husk, furnace oil, high speed diesel, electricity

Production & turnover

Spinning: 3000–6000 tonnes/year
Dyeing: 1000–10,000 tonnes/year
PVC tufted coir products: 5 million to 10.5 million m2/year
Handloom/fibre mats: 3 million to 5 million m2/year
Coir matting/rugs: 5 million to 15 million m2/year
Rubberized coir products: 10 million to 15 million m2/year

Total energy consumption (toe)

6168

Leading industry association(s)

Alleppey Coir Cluster Development Society https://accds.co.in/
Alleppey Coir Mats And Matting Co Op Society Limited
Indian Coir Association
Kerala State Small Scale Industries Association http://www.kssia.com/

Cluster manual

https://www.sameeeksha.org/pdf/clusterprofile/Alleppey_Coir_Industries.pdf

Source: Data pertains to 2010-11, collected primarily under the BEE-SME program