COIR INDUSTRY 31 The state government's policy on coir factory wages led to additions of labour costs in the organized sector. It was estimated in 1970 that the disparity in the cost of production between the units which pay agreed wages (plus statutory benefits) and those which do not., was as wide as 40 per cent.7 Other benefits worked out to 33.25 per cent of the total wage bill. As a result of this difference in the production costs, the manufacturer cum exporter finds it profitable to purchase coir products for export from small handloom units instead of producing them in their own firms. At present almost all private coir firms at Alleppey., formerly producer cum exporters,, have ceased to produce. They purchase coir products from the small-scale sector and give finishing touches such as shearing and stencilling to make them export-ready. The firms maintain a skeleton staff for these jobs. HANDLOOM SECTOR The manufacturing sector transforms coir yarn into finished products such as mats,, mattings., mattresses^ rugs and carpets. The structure of coir exports from India during 1974-75 reveals that the bulk of finished products comprises of mats and mattings which form about 40 per cent of the export total of 41^834 tonnes.8 Though there are two categories registered as 'exporters' and ^manufacturer cum exporters^ TABLE I DETAILS OF 2700 HANDLO OM UNITS REGISTE ,RED WITH COIR BOARD, AS IN OCTOBER 1976 Varieties Weavers Other Number of Production workers looms capacity Matting 365 133 245 4 380 sq. yds. Carpet 158 29 38 1 798 sq. ft. Bit-mat 37 10 33 396 Sinnet mat 374 42 357 10 710 Loop mat 80 27 74 1 620 Corridor mat 1 753 414 1 667 37 930 " Ribbed 92 20 67 430 sq. yds. Beach creel 2 597 346 2 624 37 660 sq. ft. Fibre mat 1 351 353 1 328 10 396 Vycome creel 563 104 562 8315 Casuatic mat 1 638 385 1 505 17922 Rod-inlaid 160 30 169 1 539 Beach rod 2 482 584 1 664 47 060 Vycome rod 583 109 564 11 380 Rope mat 166 110 88 6 000 Mesh mat 84 17 59 632 Rope wedded 10 2 6 40 sq. yds. Total 12428 2 783 10 739 184 103 SOURCE: Office of the Coir Board, Alleppey.