India's coir sector has recorded a 305 per cent rise in exports over the past decade, with more than 21,000 coir units now registered on the Udyam portal and generating employment for 2.3 lakh people, according to an official statement issued by the Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) on Wednesday, 14 October 2026. The figures underscore India's dominant position as the world's largest producer and exporter of coir and coir products.

India's Global Standing in Coir

India accounts for approximately two-thirds of global coir production, cementing its leadership in a sector that has grown from a traditional cottage industry into a ₹16,000 crore turnover industry contributing close to 1 per cent of the country's GDP. Exports of coir and coir products were valued at ₹6,614.40 crore in FY26, with the United States, China, the Netherlands, Spain, and the United Kingdom among the top five export destinations.

The major products driving export growth include coir pith, fibre, yarn, and tufted mats — all derived from coconut husks, making the sector inherently circular and sustainable.

Employment and Women's Participation

The coir sector provides direct and indirect employment to over 7 lakh workers, of whom roughly 80 per cent are women from rural households. This places coir among India's most gender-inclusive traditional industries. The sector's rural reach means its economic benefits flow disproportionately to communities that are often bypassed by mainstream industrial growth.

More than 68,000 persons have been trained under various skill development programmes linked to the sector, with women again accounting for over 80 per cent of trainees.

Coir Vikas Yojana: The Central Scheme Driving Growth

The MSME Ministry highlighted the Coir Vikas Yojana as the central scheme supporting the sector's sustainable expansion. The scheme provides assistance across new technology adoption, skill training, market promotion, participation in trade fairs, and financial support to coir artisans and enterprises. Officials noted the scheme is designed to accelerate value addition — moving production up the chain from raw fibre to finished, exportable goods.

This comes amid a broader government push to formalise traditional industries through digital platforms like Udyam, with the 21,000-plus registrations marking a significant step toward bringing coir units into the formal economy and making them eligible for institutional credit and government schemes.

Sustainability and the Viksit Bharat Vision

The MSME Ministry's statement positioned the coir sector as a model for eco-friendly, inclusive industrialisation. 'With its strong focus on sustainability, value addition and inclusive growth, the Coir sector is playing a crucial role in India's journey towards Viksit Bharat @2047,' the ministry said. Notably, the sector's core raw material — coconut husk — is an agricultural by-product, making coir processing a zero-waste enterprise aligned with India's sustainability commitments.

With export momentum building and formalisation accelerating, the sector's trajectory over the next five years will hinge on how effectively the Coir Vikas Yojana translates training and market access into sustained income gains for its predominantly rural, female workforce.