Pollachi gets Tamil Nadu’s first state government-aided coir firm at 9 crore

Coimbatore: Pollachi, popularly known as the Coconut City, has got its first state govt-supported coir firm - Integrated Coirs India Private Limited - to boost industrial growth, exports and employment opportunities in the region.Chief minister M K Stalin inaugurated the firm at Nattukalpalayam near Pollachi on Monday through videoconferencing from Chennai. The unit would act as a special purpose vehicle for the coir clusters in Pollachi, and provide common facilities and warehouse services.
Set up at a cost of Rs9.2 crore under the Micro Cluster Development Programme, the unit is expected to promote value-added coir products. According to an official source, Rs6.6 crore was funded by the state govt. "The unit is floated with an objective of converting the coconut fibre produced in Pollachi's coir units into value-added products such as coir geo-textiles, brush mats, panama mats and export-quality rope products. Coir geo-textiles produced at the unit will be used for soil erosion control," the source said. Owners of 23 coir manufacturing units and allied products are members of this firm, the foundation work for which began in 2022 with the aim of strengthening the coir sector in the region. Around 200 coir units in and around Pollachi are expected to benefit from this unit. C Balasubramanian, managing director, Integrated Coir's India Pvt Ltd, said the firm was expected to generate employment for about 1,500 people, both directly and indirectly. "The state govt will oversee the firm's functioning and monitor the number of beneficiaries. The cluster has obtained the electricity connection with a sanctioned load of 110Kw." Though a unit supported by the central govt's Coir Board is already functioning in the region, this is the first state govt-supported coir firm in Pollachi. At the event held in Pollachi on Monday, district collector Pavankumar G Giriyappanavar, Pollachi MP K Eswarasamy, District Industries Centre general manager Shanmugasiva, officials from Coir Directorate, and other govt officials were present.