Thiruvananthapuram: The National Coir Research Management Institute (NCRMI) located at Thiruvananthapuram in the Kerala state of India is on a set-out to reveal the functioning of an independently developed portable machine that can potentially transform coir productions in the country. According to the NCRMI sources the machine enables to extract high-quality fibers from coconut husk at lower cost than the machine currently relying. By the new technology the effort required can also be minimized considerably.

The newer version machine is with a built-in crusher which can work fully on green as well as dry coconut husk and thus completely avoid the manual labor of breaking down the husk into smaller pieces. It also reduces the breakage of fibers, generating only longer ones.

The new machine has the capacity to process 550-600 husks per hour yielding 44-48 kg of raw fiber. The machine which weighs 480.kg requires a space having length 1.5 meters and width1.1 meters. It can be fitted with a 10 HP motor and consumes significantly less electricity. It can be operated safely by a single person.

There is a trade fair called ‘Coir Kerala 2014 international trade fair’ in Alappuzha from Feb 1^st to 5^th. At this business fair hundreds of foreign as well as domestic buyers of coir and natural fiber products will be taking part. The new machine is expected to be the center of attraction of the trade fair.