Potentiality for value-added technical use of Indian sisal

Abstract

India is one of the major exporters of sisal ropes and cordages but the raw fibres are imported from Africa and some other places. Import of sisal fibre in India is increasing at the rate of 25% per year for last few years. Sisal is grown in randomly distributed pockets all over Indian sub-continent mainly for some other purpose without giving any attention to the selective variety or species of Agave family. It is commonly stated that quality of Indian sisal fibre is not up to the mark of making standard quality of ropes, binder, twines, etc. The paper reports the textile related structure and properties (viz. tensile behavior, bending rigidity, thickness, coefficient of friction, moisture, thickness, surface appearance, transversal structure) of Indian variety of sisal fibres grown in two different agro-climatic regions in India to find out its suitability for producing standard quality products. The properties of Indian sisal fibres have also been compared to the imported one to explore the potentiality of the Indian fibres for making standard international quality products. The present work reveals that it is possible to grow sisal fibre of specified variety/species (Agave sisalana) having much balanced property parameters for producing international quality products (viz., ropes, cordages agricultural binders). Agave sisalana grown in certain agro-climatic regions (viz., Orissa) in India showed much comparable property parameters, even sometimes better, to the fibres imported from Tanzania.