Coir fibre and coir pith

What it is

Fibre extracted from coconut husk. Brown fibre goes into mats, rope, mattresses and geotextiles; the pith (cocopeat) is sold as a growing medium.

White fibre (retted) and brown fibre (from dry husk)Bristle, mattress and decorticated fibreCoir pith blocks, low-EC washed pith

Where India produces it

1. KeralaAlappuzhaKollam

   PIB says Kerala accounts for nearly 85% of India's coir production; the industry is concentrated in Alappuzha, Kollam and Perinad-Perumon.

Where imports come from

India is a net exporter of coir; HS 5305 imports (US$ 4.84 million in 2025-26) are mostly other leaf fibres such as sisal.

• Brazil — US$ 1.13 million of imports under HS 5305 in 2025-26.
• Kenya — US$ 1.02 million of imports under HS 5305 in 2025-26.
• Madagascar — US$ 0.85 million of imports under HS 5305 in 2025-26.

Rules before you buy or sell

• The Coir Board, set up under the Coir Industry Act, 1953, runs development schemes and registers coir exporters.
• Open weave coir bhoovastra (geotextile) is under the Geo Textiles (Quality Control) Order, 2022 (IS 15869).
• GST on coir products was cut from 18% to 5% in 2025.

Storage and handling

Keep fibre bales dry and away from flame; store pith blocks under cover so they do not reabsorb salt water or rain.

Businesses that use it

Coir Fibre Extraction →Coir Yarn Spinning (Automatic Machines) →Coir Pith Block Making →Coir Geotextiles on Anugraha Handlooms →Coir Frame Mats (Corridor Mats) →Rubberised Coir Mattresses →Coir Pith Grow Bag Making →Curled Coir Rope Production →