Tapping fibre waste to sustain a green earth

LETTER: The consumption of fruits and vegetables is essential for the sustainability of human health. Besides their beautiful colours and delicious tastes, fruits and vegetables consist of fibre and compounds that help in digestion, as well as antioxidant and anti-microbial activities. With the advancement of technology, people are now aware of the variety of fibre products sold in the market that originates from fruits and vegetables. Therefore, the production trends and agricultural exports have been on the rise over the years (see graphic). The year 2000 was known as a century leap year, which saw the United States and India progressively increasing their exports of agricultural products. In 2005, the US's exports were worth US$83 billion, while India emerged the 22nd largest exporter of agricultural products valued at US$10.1 billion.