Can a coconut husk become a source of income for rural women, a product for the global market, and a means to protect the environment? India’s coir sector brings these possibilities together. It shows how a material, often treated as waste, can become a useful economic resource by connecting coconut farming with manufacturing, trade, and rural livelihoods.

However, the challenge lies in translating this potential into better incomes, sustained employment, and cleaner production. First, let’s examine the economic significance of India’s coir sector.

Coir is the natural fiber obtained from the outer husk of a coconut, which is turned into valuable industrial and agricultural resources. This waste-to-resource conversion exemplifies the circular bioeconomy. Its value chain begins with collecting coconut husks and includes fibre extraction, spinning, weaving, processing, packaging, and selling.

Coir is used to make ropes, mats, mattresses, brushes and other products.…