Export Development Board facilitates technical transfer programme for coir-based manufactures
The Regional Development Division of the Export Development Board (EDB) successfully concluded a technical transfer programme for coir-based manufactures in the North Western Province (NWP) and Southern Province (SP) recently under the ‘2000 Exporters Development Programme’.
The programme was organized in consultation with PUM Netherlands Senior Experts with the intention to facilitate coir-based product exporters and potential exporters in regions to develop the supply base of quality coir based products for the export market, by way of making them aware on product development requirements to suit the current trends in the international market.
On invitation of the EDB, Vim Van Schei of PUM Netherlands participated as the key resource person of this programme to provide consultancy and recommendations to the coir-based industry in Sri Lanka. His expertise is the use of coir products like coir dust, coir fibers and coco chips in agriculture and horticulture.
He has been working as the Managing Director of the RHP Foundation, Dutch Institute for Certification, Research and Consultancy for the substrate industry in the Netherlands. He has been involved in the introduction of coco peat in the Netherlands in 1990 as an alternative for peat moss and has visited Sri Lanka more than 15 times for PUM projects in the coir business.
PUM Expert along with EDB officials made factory observation visits to coir Export companies & manufactures both in Southern & North Western Provinces to determine the current situation of the coir industry in Sri Lanka followed by one day seminars with the participation of Direct & Indirect Exporters in each province to discuss results and recommendations on product development requirements targeting the Export Market. Most of the coir Exporters/producers were in a view ofthey are in a position to generate more foreign exchange to the country if suitable measures could be taken by relevant authorities to overcome prevailing shortage of raw materials to boom the Coir Industry.
Based on the recommendations made by the consultant for further development of the Sri Lankan coir industry for export, EDB together with CDA will look into the possibility of establishing common processing facility for cluster based coconut and coir industry with the objective of producing high quality coir products for the export market.