Accra, March 2, GNA - The promotion and use of coconut trunk for furniture and household items exhibited at the ongoing 9th Ghana International Trade Fair seems to be catching the attention of most visitors.

Visitors day to day throng to the Takoradi Polytechnic Stand to cast a glimpse and ask questions on the possibility and the processes involved in using the material to make items such as furniture, bowls, ladles and lamp stands displayed.

The Takoradi Polytechnic, as an educational institution, is said to have embarked on a "Coconut Furniture Project" as an alternative to other materials used for the making of furniture with the assistance of Mr Shinichi Ito, a Japanese Lecturer at the Institute.

Speaking to the Ghana News Agency on Tuesday, Mr Ito said the use of coconut for furniture making was uncommon owing to the facts that most countries have not realised its comparatively higher quality.

He said a coconut item could last for about 50 years, adding that diseased coconut trees could be used for furniture.

"Why can't we promote its use, now that it has been found to be good for furniture. The only thing that we need is chemical which we have to import."

Mr Ito said in collaboration with some companies in Takoradi they would in three months time begin mass production of the products for export especially to Japan.