Just a doormat? This could be Guinness record holder

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The mat made at the Cherthala-based Travancore Cocotuft (P) Ltd factory measures 101.6 metres (333.3ft) in length, 1.2 metres (4ft) in width, is 30mm thick and weighs 999 kg. It costs about Rs.4 lakh.

"They (Guinness World Records) have asked us for the basic information and we are in the process of preparing that and once they are convinced, they will visit us to see the product, which is a doormat," said P. Mahadevan, CEO of the company, here.

"ALthough the coir industry is faced with a plethora of problems, including scarcity of raw materials and shortage of trained man power, largely resulting from migration of workers to the more lucrative construction sector, our mission was to draw the attention of the authorities to this crisis-ridden traditional (coir) sector," said Mahadevan.

The mat was formally released during the inauguration of the golden jubilee celebrations of the Central Coir Research Institute (CCRI) of the Coir Board. The two-day event was inaugurated by Union Minster of State for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Dinsha Patel Thursday.

The thought of manufacturing the world's longest mat, according to Mahadevan, was inspired by a project initiated by SIDBI in Alappuzha, for the growth of the coir industry in the state.

The coir industry in Kerala has a history that spans over a century and employs in excess of 1.5 lakh weavers and spinners numbering four lakhs in the state.

Lack of modernisation in the industry and a stiff rise in wages of workers have resulted in only 50 percent of coconut husks being used in the coir industry, while the rest is being used as fuel in rural areas.