National Fibre Policy or Natural Fibre Policy?

National Fibre Policy or Natural fibre Policy?

The Government of India is following a flawed policy as far as natural fibre industries are concerned.  The National Fibre Policy, the draft of which has been already released, is flawed. One of the most important Textiles Ministry is under an additional charge of a Minister who is already holding a heavy weight portfolio of Commerce & Industry. Textiles are one of the most important segments which contribute heavily to GDP and Foreign Exchange earnings. Today, Textiles industries are facing mounting impediments to remain competitive when the market markets are squeezed for want of monetary wealth to keep the economy growing. But, India which is professed in political adventure games is more interested in politics rather than attempting serious governance! Second generation reforms which are long overdue remains on the blaming game and does not progress beyond a few notes and few noises. Nobody cares a dime.

            National Fibre Policy is not natural fibre Policy but anti- thesis of it. Man made fibres are preferred to natural fibres which are languishing due to poor Policy and monetary support for the various segments and sub segments of the natural fibre industry. Natural fibres are produced by Plants and animals. There are leaf fibres such as sisal and hard fibres such as Coconuts etc.  15 major and animal fibres dominate world fibre production- cotton to cashmere, have particular properties that place them in the luxury market.   Abaca, favoured source of rope, cotton (widely used natural fibre), Flax (one of the strongest fibres), Hemp which is a bast fibre, Jute (strong threads made from jute fibre, sack cloth), Ramie (white with a sulky luster, strongest natural fibre), sisal (replacing fibre glass fibres in composite materials used to make furniture), coir (extracted from the outer shell of the Coconuts, coir is found in ropes, mattresses, brushes, geotextiles, etc). Animal fibre include wool (world’s premier textile silk fibre), silk (queen of fibres), Mohair (noted for its softness and receptiveness to rich dyes), cashmere (soft to touch), camel hair (best fibre- Bactrian camels of Mongolia/inner Mongolia, baby camel hair finest, softest), Angora wool (silky white wool of Angora rabbit, quality knitwear), Alpaca wool (high end luxury fibres).

            When the world over, natural fibre is preferred due to their superior environmental friendliness vis-à-vis synthetics, we have authorities in India who would like to push the Man Made Fibres (MMF) through a National Fibre Policy unmindful of the damage to the environment and the associated cost to the Society, from disposing synthetic end products which are considerably greater than those accruing from bio-degradable products such as hard fibres. When traditional products would constitute an integral component of any Research undertaken to improve the characteristics of natural products or of the search for new ones within the overall strategy, we believe in formulating strategies and policies without caring for the generic concerns.   It is a pity, that Coconut fibre or coir fibre is not at all included in the National Fibre Policy, as India, like Srilanka, Philippines, Malaysia, Thailand, have been through policy intervention trying to strengthen coir production and exports through fiscal and policy support.

            Coir fibre constituted 25% of the value of total coir exports and 20% of the volume of the total exports, and the country has been producing 5,00,000 tonnes of coir fibre from Coconut husk, even though this is not even 50% of the available coconut husk supply, due to apathy of attention or intervention in its development. As Coconut is in the concurrent list, the Government of Kerala, is unable to get the centre invest in developing industries in Kerala because of lack of political will or incapacity to be a proactive state like Uttar Pradesh or West Bengal or  Tamilnadu which get a lions share of the Plan outlay.

It may seem odd, that the Coconut nor coir industry does not have adequate statistics to determine how many Coconut husks are available for use by the Coir industry and what is the quantum that is dehusked to make coir fibre and what is the residue  unused nos available for likely utilization . When the basic figures are not available, assumptions and notional statiscs form a part of planning, the results or inherent capacities go wrong, as a result, no proper planning can be envisaged.

Coir industry has a huge women worker population, and their livelihood and sustainability depend upon the fortunes of the Coir industry. If Coir industry comes to a grinding halt, the kitchens in many of the homes of Alapuzzha, Shertalla, Ambalapuzha, Haripad, Vaikom, Ettumannur, Kollam, Cheriyankeezhu, Thiruvanthapuram and wayside villages will remain unused, as the Coconut economy is the driving force. Yet, no structural approach, nor long term vision, finding an inequitable balance between growth and conversion on the user industry has ever been made. Government should have a long term commitment to support the traditional industry’s base. In the Micro, Small and MEDIUM Enterprises, the bulk of growth, and support is directed at micro, and mini industries and not at Medium Scale Industries which have financial as well as physical strength. But seldom are these nodes finding assistance from the MSME Act; government shying away from Policy support, Banks doesn’t want to finance the sector.

-o-o-o-o-o-o-