Monday, February 13, 2012

International Coir Fest- 2012





The second edition of the highly successful international coir festival held at the EMS Stadium, Alappuzha from February 4 to 9.

As the event had been named, would be an exhibition cum sale event divided widely on four themes, which would be knowledge dissemination and interaction, development, marketing and coir. There would be separate international and national pavilions.

Over 60 international delegates had assured of their presence while 110 delegates from other Indian states had registered themselves.

Visitors to the Coir Kerala 2012, had taken back handicrafts, souvenirs to even coir poles and pellets for their gardens.

16 delegates from foreign countries have arrived at the ‘Venice of the East,’ on Friday itself for attending the coir fest. The domestic delegates have also increased from 46 to 142 this year.

The fest was inaugurated by Chief Minister, Oommen Chandy on Saturday. Union Minister for Overseas Indian Affairs, Vayalar Ravi inaugurated the valedictory of the fest on February 9.

The main attraction of this year’s fest is a coir village showcasing the age-old traditions of coir producers in the State. It throw light into how coir as a cottage industry functioned and flourished in the past as well as highlight the lives of the coir workers.

The visitors had opportunities to watch live demonstrations of the various technologies used in the coir sector. A theme pavilion featuring a variety of coir products used for home décor and other domestic purposes will be another highlight of the fest. The organizers have also put up a series of paintings and sketches around the pavilions showing the evolution of the coir industry from the setting up of first coir factory in Alappuzha in 1859 by the Irish-born American, James Darragh.


It introduced a seminar on how coir products could be used for interior decoration. Export-quality items such as coir mats made from different fibres, mattings, rugs, carpets, tiles and mattresses will be displayed in as many as 220 stalls put up by exhibitors from across the country.

Display of geo-textiles, coir pith and baskets and a variety of machinery employed for coir processing were displayed.


A series of seminars and cultural programmes in the evening were also scheduled on the fest days.

1 comment: