Guyana Economic Opportunities (GEO): Coconut Husk Extraction and Coir Processing: Potential Value-Added Export Products

摘要

Coconut is one of the most useful and important plants in Guyana. The inner portion of the fruit provides a diversity of nutritious products, including a natural coconut water beverage, edible raw pulp, and dried copra (dried endosperm), which is the source of coconut oil. The outer portion of the fruit (husk) can be dried and the fiber and pith extracted for use in the manufacture of a number of products. Coir is the term used to describe the coarse brown fiber of the coconut husk. Coir fiber is light weight, strong, elastic, and has a high durability. Coir fiber is relatively water-proof and is the only natural fiber resistant to damage by salt water and microbial degradation. The long fibers of the husk can be used to make floor mats, ropes, brooms, nets, and carpets. Coir pith, the short fibers and dust left behind after the industrially valuable long fibers of coir are extracted from the coconut husk, is widely used throughout the world as a constituent in horticultural-grade growing media for vegetables, ornamental plants, roses, cut flowers, and nursery crops. Most coir pith is obtained from the husks of mature coconuts as a by-product of copra production. The purpose of this bulletin is to provide information on coir extraction, processing techniques and equipment, and marketable products. It is intended to support the development of additional value-added coconut export products from Guyana.