The coir producers’ group at Pazhaverkadu near Pattukottai has established an export-oriented coir pith block manufacturing unit at a cost of Rs. 58 lakh on 2.37 hectares. The blocks are used for raising crops and kitchen gardens in foreign countries. The unit could manufacture 10 tonnes of coir pith blocks a day.
The Central Coir Board and the State government had offered a subsidy of Rs. 42 lakh and Rs. 12.5 lakh respectively for setting up the unit, and the producer group’s contribution was Rs.3.50 lakh, said N.Subbaiyan, District Collector, who inspected the unit on Thursday.
Referring to the potential of coir production in and around Pattukottai, the Collector said that about 110 coir pith-based small scale industries functioned in and around Pattukottai and Peravurani. He appealed to the units to make the most of the subsidy-based scheme.
M.Ramalingam, General Manager, District Industries Centre, Gunalan, Manager, Small Industries Development Corporation, and Shyam Sundar, president, Pattukottai Coir Producers Group, explained the procedure to be followed to ensure the products were export worthy.
