India Turns Coconut Waste Into Businesses And Rural Growth

NEW DELHI – India is the world’s largest producer of coir and accounts for more than 80 per cent of global coir fiber production. The industry is also closely linked to women’s livelihoods, with women accounting for nearly 80 per cent of those engaged in fiber extraction and spinning.

This makes coir an important rural livelihood sector, connecting coconut farmers, workers, women artisans, cooperatives, entrepreneurs, manufacturers and exporters, according to a factsheet issued by India.

What begins as coconut husk is becoming a source of enterprise and livelihood across India’s coconut-growing regions. The potential of coir extends well beyond raw fiber production. Through processing, design and innovation, coir can be transformed into a wide range of higher-value products, including mats, ropes, brushes and other household products, decorative items, handicrafts and eco-friendly packaging solutions.

The Central Coir Research Institute has developed eco-friendly coir rail wheel axle packaging cups as an alternative to HDPE plastic cups. The innovation shows how the traditional natural fiber can find applications in modern industries while supporting environmentally responsible production.

In Kadiyam, East Godavari district of Andhra Pradesh, Allam Gowthamy transformed coconut fibre and coir waste into a successful enterprise. Her unit now produces eco-friendly doormats, ropes, decorative dolls and handicrafts, the factsheet states. The enterprise has achieved an annual turnover of around Rs 35 lakh and a profit of approximately Rs 10 lakh, while generating direct employment for six women.

Gowthamy’s impact extends beyond her own enterprise. She has trained nearly 120 women in coir mat weaving, rope making and handicraft production, helping them develop livelihood opportunities. Her success has also inspired around five additional coir units in nearby areas ort.

Another example of turning coir pith into an opportunity for sustainable agriculture is P. Surendran, who established Sampoorna Plus Agro Fertilizer Enterprises (SAFE) in Kozhikode, Kerala. With training and technical support from the Coir Board, Surendran began producing eco-friendly coir pith bio-fertilizer that improves soil fertility and moisture retention.

In just one year, his enterprise has built a customer base of more than 500, sold over 20 tons of bio-fertilizer and generated a turnover of Rs 13 lakh, with a profit of Rs 4 lakh in FY 2024-25.

The unit also employs five workers, including two women, creating local livelihood opportunities. His journey shows how innovation and technical support can turn coir waste into a viable business opportunity. (IANS)