2 Cebu towns named producers of fiber mats from coconut coir

Mats made of coconut coir or fiber are now the notable products in the towns of Bantayan and Medellin, according to one of the officials of the Philippine Coconut Authority-7 recently.

PCA-7 project development officer Aurora Lambino said these towns have been producing at least 20 metric tons of coconut coir annually for the manufacture of fiber mats, which in turn are used in farming and prevention of soil erosion.

Lambino said the fiber mats, which holds the nutrients in the agricultural plot are laid down before planting the seedlings.

Two other towns, Bacong and Guihulngan, in Negros Oriental province are producers also of coconut coir in that part of the region with an annual output of 40 metric tons, said Lambino.

According to a agricultural website, a coconut coir is a coarse fiber obtained from the tissues around the seed of a coconut palm. It contains a complex woody chemical, more lignin and less cellulose, making it more stronger and less flexible than flax and cotton.

Coir is relatively waterproof and is the only natural fiber resistant to damage by salt water. - Ferliza C. Contratista