Cocoinfo International

VOLUME 24, No.2, 2017 / ISSN 0854-5006 COCOINFO INTERNATIONAL

Editor-In-Chief: Uron N. Salum Managing Editor: Muhartoyo Associate Editor: Deepthi Nair

Advertising Manager: Alit Pirmansah Circulation Manager: Sri Utami Widya L.

Cocoinfo International is a popular journal on the coconut industry published twice a year by the Asian and Pacific Coconut Community (APCC) 8th Fl. BAPPEBTI Building, Jl. Kramat Raya No. 172 Kenari, Senen Jakarta 10430, Indonesia. P.O. Box 1343, Jakarta 10013. Phone 62 21 3100 556 to 557, Fax 62 21 310 1007

E-mail address: [email protected]. Website: http://www.apccsec.org Queries and information regarding subscription and adver- tisement insertion rates should be directed to the above address. Foreign subscription rates including airmail postage for one year (two issues) is US$35.00 (APCC Member) US$ 40.00 (Non-APCC Member Countries)

Articles may be reproduced or excerpted with prior permission from the APCC.

The views expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect those of the APCC.

COCOINFO INTERNATIONAL, VOL. 24, No. 2, 2017

VOLUME 24, No.2, 2017 / ISSN 0854-5006 COCOINFO INTERNATIONAL

From the Editor –in-Chief ………………………… 1

News Round-up ………………………….………….. 2

How the Wrong Science is Making People Sick: The Truth about Saturated Fat, Animal Fat and Coconut Oil …………………………….……………. 10 Dr. Fabian M. Dayrit

Fake New Alert! The American Heart Association Proclaims Coconut Oil Unhealthy …………………. 13 Dr. Bruce Fife

Investment Opportunities in Coconut Sector in Indragiri Hilir ………………………………………..….. 15 Muhartoyo

The Role of Industrialization in Improving the Welfare of Coconut Farmers ...... 18 Tay Enoku

Pest and Disease Free Cocout ...... 20 P. Chowdappa, Vinayaka Hedge, Chandrika Mohan, A. Josephrajkumar, Merin Babu

Highlights of the 53rd APCC Session/Ministerial Meeting in Tarawa, Kiriba...... 25 Deepthi Nair

APCC Tarawa Accord ………………………………. 31

Editor-In-Chief: Uron N. Salum Tales of Coconut Countries and Islands around the Managing Editor: Muhartoyo World …………………………………………..…… 35 Associate Editor: Deepthi Nair M. Shareefa, Regi J. Thomas, Josephrajkumar

Advertising Manager: Alit Pirmansah Face to Face Interview: an Interview with Circulation Manager: Sri Utami Widya L. Mr. Kieatisak Theppadungporn, Managing Director, Cocoinfo International is a popular journal on the Theppandungporn Coconut Co Ltd. (TCC)…………. 39 coconut industry published twice a year by the Asian Muhartoyo and Wilaiwan Twishsri and Pacific Coconut Community (APCC)

8th Fl. BAPPEBTI Building, Replicable Model for Sustained Coconut Jl. Kramat Raya No. 172 Kenari, Senen Jakarta 10430, Indonesia. Development ...... 43 P.O. Box 1343, Jakarta 10013. Deepthi Nair Phone 62 21 3100 556 to 557, Fax 62 21 310 1007

Experts’ Findings on the Health Benefits of E-mail address: [email protected]. Coconut Water ……………………………………… Website: http://www.apccsec.org 52 Queries and information regarding subscription and adver- tisement insertion rates should be directed to the above Experts’ Findings on the Health Benefits of address. Coconut Oil …………………………………………. 54 Foreign subscription rates including airmail postage for one year (two issues) is US$35.00 (APCC Member) Market Outlook—Coconut Oil: Second Half of 2017 US$ 40.00 (Non-APCC Member Countries) Alit Pirmansah …………………………………………… 57

Articles may be reproduced or excerpted with prior permis- Past Coco Events ……………………………………. sion from the APCC. 60

Statistics …………………………………….……..…. The views expressed in this publication do not necessarily 64 reflect those of the APCC.

COCOINFO INTERNATIONAL, VOL. 24, No. 2, 2017 From the Editor-in-Chief

CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES WITH HEALTHY STATUS OF COCONUT PRODUCTS

The Tarawa Accord was the agreement Young innovators are entering the industry at reached between the member countries of micro and small to medium enterprise levels the Asian and Pacific Coconut Community at around the world. An interesting array of the 53rd APCC Session/Ministerial Meeting products and marketing approaches are on held last October 2017 in the Republic of Ki- the rise in India, Philippines and in small Pa- ribati to vigorously promote the health and cific island states where production levels are nutritional attributes of coconut and its many much lower compared to their Asian wellness products. neighbors.

The truth about the healthy status of coconut As the world continues to experience severe and coconut oil has been around for many effects of bad weather and climate change, it generations since coconut was discovered. places demand on the coconut community APCC Scientific Advisory Committee on who prepare to shift towards climate smart Health and the APCC Panel of Experts on agriculture practices and seek out improved Saturated Fats are fully prepared for construc- management systems to counter the rising tive dialogue with FAO and WHO with the threats of pest and disease affecting the co- ultimate goal of ensuring the documented conut population. warnings against use of coconut oil is officially removed. Aging coconut trees must now be replaced with elite plant material that are early bearing, Manufacturing corporations around the world high yielding and resistant to pests and dis- are investing heavily in the upgrading and eases so that the coconut industry could be new construction of processing facilities utiliz- sustained. Advanced technologies developed ing advanced technologies. Benchmarking is by the Yucatan Centre for Scientific Research seriously pursued by the same manufacturers (CICY) in Mexico is pursued by the Commu- who are reaching for the highest quality in nity as a means for mass production of coco- standards for products to meet consumer ac- nut planting material. ceptance. Users of coconut products world over are practically chasing after the new APCC encourages consumption of fresh coco- emerging products for health and wellness. nuts, coconut oil and the use of all healthy products of coconut for nourishment, health At present the market trends are clearly in- and overall wellness for families. The global dicative of consumer choice and acceptance Coconut Community therefore unites to proof the varied products of coconut. Growth mote the goodness of Coconut and foster rates in export volumes continue to increase inclusive growth of the Coconut Sector. each year for Virgin Coconut Oil 30%, Coco- nut Water 150%, Coconut Milk/Cream/ Powder 50%, Desiccated Coconut 30%, Coco- nut Flour 115% and similar trends for other URON N. SALUM emerging products. Executive Director and Editor in Chief

COCOINFO INTERNATIONAL, VOL. 24, No. 2, 2017 1 NEWS ROUND-UP

FIJI MINISTER OF AGRICUL- European Union (EU) and the Afri- of related markets and intensifying TURE VISITS APCC SECRE- can Caribbean & Pacific Group of production. By bringing together TARIAT States (ACP). diverse industry stakeholders for Participants had the opportunity to this workshop, CIDP will be able The Fiji Minister of Agriculture, take a 360-degree view of the to identify priority areas for train- Hon. Inia B. Seruiratu visited trends, opportunities, constraints ing, needs for potential study tours APCC Secretariat on 7 August and challenges that the industry and develop robust value chain 2017. He was accompanied by Dr. and stakeholders face. The infor- road maps. Apaitia Macanawai, Director for mation exchange, varying perspec- Ms. Mapusua further added that the Research Division, Ministry of tives, in-depth discussions and workshop is an excellent platform Agriculture and two Officials from creative solution finding in the to provide private sector members Embassy of the Republic of Fiji in workshop will formed the basis for exposure to examples of innovation Jakarta i.e. Ms. Meneseini Q. developing an operational plan in the coconut sector from their Waibuta, Charge d’Affairs, and with key activities and priorities to Pacific neighbours and the interna- Mr. Hansel Whippy, Second Secre- be implemented by the CIDP pro- tional arena. ( h t t p s : / / tary. APCC Team had the honor to ject. eeas.europa.eu) welcome the Fiji delegates. During the visit, APCC Executive Direc- “Without a doubt, coconuts are INDIA PACKAGED COCONUT tor, Mr. Uron N. Salum presented highly significant for daily subsis- WATER MARKET TO GROW the latest update on coconut indus- tence and economic and cultural AT A CAGR OF 17% BY 2022 - try and way forward. Special dis- value in the Pacific. The ‘tree of GROWTH DUE TO RISING cussion was given to the planned life’ is abundant in our islands and HEALTH CONCERNS - RE- training programs that will be provides not only a direct source of SEARCH AND MARKETS launched by APCC in cooperation cash income for those in the rural with Coconut Research Institute of areas, but also a myriad of products India packaged coconut water is Sri Lanka as well as the tissue cul- that are useful. In food security, projected to grow at a CAGR of ture technology for speedy coconut land stability, construction and over 17%, in value terms, during breeding. The APCC team who building, beauty and skincare, cul- 2017-2022, on the back of rising joined the discussion were Ms. Sri tural production, transportation, health concerns due to hectic and Utami Widya Lestari, Mr. Alit Pir- and even in mixed production sys- stressful lifestyle and increasing mansah, Mr. Muhartoyo. The Fiji tems where copra meal can be used consumer spending on wellness delegates were pleased to have as a source of protein for cattle and products to prevent signs of ageing. fruitful discussion and to receive livestock, coconuts feature promi- Moreover, surging demand for the latest publications of APCC. nently in almost all aspects of day- packaged coconut water can be to-day Pacific life,” the Director of attributed to growing awareness VALUE CHAIN WORKSHOP the Land Resources Division of the about potential health benefits of TO PROPEL GROWING CO- Pacific Community, Jan Helsen drinking coconut water, natural and CONUT INDUSTRY IN THE said. healthy drinks over high calorie PACIFIC The workshop included a “Coconut carbonated drinks. All the above Market Place” where participants stated factors are likely to propel A workshop aimed at improving showed examples of their products demand for India packaged coco- the coconut industry in the Pacific and innovations and share ideas nut water market over the next five was held in Nadi involving over 50 about new product development years. stakeholders from around the re- and market opportunities. gion and experts from South East “Identified as one of the most im- The market for India packaged co- Asia and the Caribbean. portant agricultural crops in the conut water is anticipated to grow Local farmers, regional traders, Pacific Islands, a multitude of op- at a robust CAGR, on account of farmer cooperatives, non- portunities are rapidly emerging in increasing online presence of major governmental organisations, indus- the sector that will bring positive packaged coconut water manufac- try consultants, and representatives effects in local economies and live- turers and shifting focus of manu- from key trading partners and ac- lihoods around the region. Despite facturers towards highlighting the tors from all levels of the industry all this, the coconut sector in all health benefits of coconut water as came together for the three-day Pacific Island countries is behind in compared with carbonated fizzy workshop from 11-13 July. reaching its full potential,” said d r i n k s . ( h t t p : / / The “Coconut Industry Develop- Karen Mapusua, Team leader for www.erienewsnow.com) ment for the Pacific Value Chain the CIDP. Stakeholders Workshop” was or- CIDP was established to address IBSA FUND APPROVES NEW ganised by the Coconut Industry these issues and developments, and PROJECTS FOR KIRIBATI Development for the Pacific pro- is determined to bolster the coconut ject (CIDP), a EUR 4 million (FJD sector through improving the com- The Board of Directors of the In- 9.33 million) joint initiative with petitiveness of small producers, dia, Brazil and South Africa Facil- the Pacific Community (SPC), the strengthening regional integration ity for Poverty and Hunger Allevia-

COCOINFO INTERNATIONAL, VOL. 24, No. 2, 2017 2 NEWS ROUND-UP tion (IBSA Fund) approved three little or no economies of scale, a access to finance, the project can projects of which one was for Ki- lack of financing and training re- help agribusinesses expand and ribati. The proposal for Kiribati sources, as well as a rigid supply create more jobs for the commu- aimed at enhancing inclusive sus- chain. BASF, Cargill, P&G and nity.” The project has now part- tainable economic development GIZ are hoping to work alongside nered with four commercial banks through the coconut sector, which farmers and to train them in hopes to provide suitable and affordable has strong capacity-building ele- they will be able to increase their financial services to participating ments among coconut farmers, ex- incomes and self-sufficiency due to agribusinesses. With project sup- tension workers/trainers and inter- having more productive farms. port, increased willingness to pro- ested youth; the three initiatives (UCAP Bulletin) vide sustained commercial funding together represent a budget of to the agribusiness sector in Samoa about $2.3 million, and exemplify AUSTRALIA PROVIDES AD- is anticipated. the demand-driven and themati- DITIONAL FUNDING TO AG- cally-varied support of the IBSA RIBUSINESS PROJECT IN SA- “Enabling economic growth is a Fund across continents. (https:// MOA INCLUDING COCONUT key priority of Australia’s aid pro- www.unsouthsouth.org) gram and our aid for trade focus. In The Government of Australia has supporting Samoan agribusinesses, PHILIPPINE KEY INDUSTRY provided AU$1 million ($750,000) this project increases economic PLAYERS JOIN FORCES TO in additional financing to the ongo- opportunities for farmers, families, DRIVE SUSTAINABLE COCO- ing Samoa Agribusiness Support and communities,” said Australian NUT OIL PRODUCTION Project designed to boost the south High Commissioner Sue Langford. Pacific nation’s economic perform- The project has been performing Four key industry players, BASF, ance by addressing challenges hin- well for the past 12 months, pro- Cargill, Procter & Gamble (P&G) dering increased trade and export. viding advisory services and assis- and the Deutsche Gesellschaft for The project, cofinanced by the tance to obtain commercial funding Internationale Zusammenarbeit Asian Development Bank (ADB) to medium-sized businesses. The (GIZ) GmbH, have come together and the Governments of Australia supported agribusiness segments to drive the production of sustain- and Samoa, was launched in May include cocoa, coconut, root crop, able coconut oil in the Philippines 2015 and provides access to fi- and poultry farming. and Indonesia. They are collabo- nance and tailored business support rating on the project which will services to agribusinesses in the ADB has been working with the create a sustainable, transparent country. Government of Samoa since 1966 and certified supply chain of coco- and has approved $186.19 million nut oil. “We depend on agriculture to help in loans, $122.97 million in Asian develop and grow our economy,” Development Fund grants, and The project is in collaboration with said Lavea Tupa’imatuna Iulai $32.06 million in technical assis- the ‘develoPPP.de’ programme Lavea, Chief Executive Officer of tance. ADB, based in Manila, is launched by the German Federal the Ministry of Finance. dedicated to reducing poverty in Ministry for Economic Coopera- “Agribusiness partnerships and Asia and the Pacific through inclu- tion and Development (BMZ). The promotion of commercial value sive economic growth, environ- develoPPP.de programme aims to chains in increasing and sustaining mentally sustainable growth, and provide training for local employ- economic productivity are key pri- regional integration. Established in ees, promote the use of climate- ority areas for us.” Agribusinesses 1966, ADB is celebrating 50 years friendly technologies and to im- are often family-owned enterprises, of development partnership in the prove social standards at produc- mostly involved in agro-industrial region. It is owned by 67 mem- tion facilities. It works alongside processing of local raw materials, bers—48 from the region. In 2016, companies with projects in devel- such as taro and coconut, supplied ADB assistance totaled $31.7 bil- oping countries to ensure sustain- by smallholder families. Agribusi- lion, including $14 billion in cofi- able international business commit- nesses are, therefore, critical for nancing. (https://www.adb.org) ment are met. stimulating agricultural production and sustaining local employment VANUATU TO REPLANT 1 The collaboration will focus on generation. MILLION COCONUT TREES Southern Mindanao and Southern BY 2026 Leyte in the Philippines and Amu- “Private sector development con- rang in North Sulawesi, a province tinues to be important in catalyzing The Government of Vanuatu has in Indonesia, as these countries are sustainable and inclusive economic embarked on an ambitious plan to the two largest producers of coco- growth in Samoa,” said Emma Fan, plant 1 million coconut trees by nuts and exporters of coconut- Regional Director of ADB’s Pa- 2026. The Director of the Depart- based products. In the Philippines cific Liaison and Coordination Of- ment of Agriculture and Rural De- and Indonesia, most farmers are fice in Australia. “By partnering velopment, Antoine Ravo says co- smallholders with less than four with commercial banks and ad- conut trees have withered as a re- hectares of land, meaning there are dressing the constraints that hinder sult of cyclones apart from growing

3 COCOINFO INTERNATIONAL, VOL. VOL. 24, No. 2, 2017 NEWS ROUND-UP old and there is a need to plant new w/e 10 June 2017) of coconut prod- true versatility and popularity of ones. A new coconut sector strat- ucts in Health Beauty & Accesso- the ingredient and the opportunities egy will identify gaps and provide ries (HBA) now worth more than for both manufacturers and retail- causes of action to help revive the £12m a year to UK supermarkets, ers in terms of product innovation, sector. Ravo said that mature coco- high street chemists and independ- range optimisation and promotional nut trees that are old and donot ent pharmacies, and corresponding campaigns. But we could see it bear fruits will be cut down and with the growing popularity of co- challenged in the future by other used as timber. Coconut timber conut-inspired food and drink new ingredients hitting the shelves, milling trial at Malekula PRV plan- products like coconut milk and including charcoal, which has been tation has already started. Depart- water. creeping into a number of products ment of Forestry will provide assis- like face masks.” (https:// tance in the coconut timber milling RI’s data shows particularly strong www.iriworldwide.com) process. He also said that DARD growth in the haircare and personal aims to do more research and pro- care categories, with combined COCONUT FACES A LOOM- duce dwarf coconut plants which sales of more than £11m a year. ING GLOBAL SUPPLY can produce more fruits and are Coconut haircare products have SHORTAGE, BUT COULD AN also able to withstand cyclones and grown by 29% over the last year, AUSTRALIAN INDUSTRY windy weather. Ravo said that they driven largely by coconut oils and CRACK IT? are also looking at incorporating milks to help condition hair, with climate change and environmental conditioners growing by 50% to Demand for coconuts is booming issues in coconut sector develop- £3.5m and shampoos by 31% to and as ageing trees threaten to cur- ment. Environmental impact as- £4.1m. Value sales of personal care tail world supply, researchers sug- sessment will be conducted in pilot products have also grown by 31%, gest northern Australia could de- ares to determine extent of degra- driven by an 11% growth in liquid velop a local coconut industry. dation on soil fertility. The 2007 soaps (to £15.5k) and 7% growth in Australians, like many in the west- agriculture census recorded a very shower products (to £3.7m). ern world, are developing a taste low rate of replanting or planting for coconut. While we have long of new stock of coconut. The na- “Looking at our data, we can see enjoyed a dusting of dried coconut tional stock currently comprises of that coconut as an ingredient has on lamingtons and other baked very old and non producing stands, really been gaining in popularity treats, it is now health conscious the majority being well over 70 to since January of last year, which consumers that are driving expo- 80 years of age. The highest num- corresponds with figures showing nential growth in the market for ber of young coconuts were planted that coconut-related web searches high-value products like coconut between the years 1977-1986 with have been on the rise over the past water and virgin coconut oil. an average of 291,568 young trees couple of years,” comments Kaajal per year. The increase is attributed Bhatti, Retail Insight Manager, IRI. Strong niche markets are also to the coconut development pro- “I think what we’re actually seeing emerging for coconut-based gram funded by the European Un- is something of a coconut revolu- snacks, milk, yoghurt and ice ion during that period. Coconut tion, rather than just a fad, as the cream, as well as coconut flour and seedlings are expected to be dis- gap between food and drink and coconut sugar, while demand for tributed next month. health and beauty closes, suggest- the traditional desiccated coconut (www.loopvanuatu.com) ing that more and more people are remains solid. Bao Vuong, a senior looking to products and ingredients industry analyst with market re- IRI FIGURES SHOW WE’RE that look after both their internal search company IBISWorld, said GOING NUTS FOR COCONUT and external health. There are a the growth in products was ex- -INSPIRED BEAUTY PROD- few ingredients that work well plained by consumers buying into UCTS TO THE TUNE OF across both sectors, like lemon and the perceived health benefits of MORE THAN £12M PER YEAR aloe vera, and coconut is a great coconut. IN UK example of this.” He pointed out that the number of The growth in coconut food and According to IRI sales data looking brands offering coconut water drink is reflected as gap between at coconut food and drink catego- products was ever expanding, with internal and external health closes. ries last year, coconut water was major supermarket Coles even Coconut is the ingredient of choice the standout item with value sales launching its own private label co- for today’s shoppers looking for of £60m (52 w/e 26 March 16), conut water. "There is rising con- inspiration when buying health and followed by coconut milk with sumer demand for alternative prod- beauty products, according to the sales of £16.4 million, while coco- ucts and I guess Coles is trying to latest data from IRI, the provider of nut oil was worth more than £14 tap into that market." big data and predictive analytics million per year. “Although the for FMCG manufacturers and re- trend started in the food and drink Nearly all the fresh coconuts and tailers. Figures show 23% growth industry, it has quickly evolved coconut products sold in Australia in value sales over the last year (52 into health and beauty showing the come from overseas, or are pro-

COCOINFO INTERNATIONAL, VOL. 24, No. 2, 2017 4 NEWS ROUND-UP duced locally from imported raw demand at a time when farmers had be right for a local industry. As materials. Australian Bureau of not been replanting for 20 to 30 well as the advancement in cloning Statistics trade data shows we are years. technology, which has the potential importing more coconut than ever to produce plants that bear nuts before. "It's only in the last seven years more quickly, soaring consumer that the industry has taken a revo- demand has built a strong market In the last financial year, Australia lutionary turnaround in terms of and good prices for value-added bought in more than $35 million viability, and the higher value coconut products. Add to that the worth of coconut oil, a figure that products came onto the market and development of new machinery, has almost tripled in the past dec- began to be received well," he said. like coconut climbing robots, ade. Imports of fresh and dried co- "Prices became good and the issue means labour costs of harvesting conut have also increased rapidly. of viability became more assured and processing coconuts could be It is possible to source fresh locally for farmers. "Seven to 10 years ago reduced. grown coconuts in northern Austra- it was very difficult to tell a farmer lia, but coconut production is not to replant his stock because he "The way that technology is ad- on a commercial scale and re- probably didn't see any future in it vancing you could put coconuts in stricted to harvesting fruit from [the coconut industry]. There is the ground now and within three ornamental palms in parks, along now." years when you've got fruit. Imag- beaches and in gardens. ine the changes that will have hap- In the Philippines, there is now a pened," Dr. Biddle said. "In the last Most of the world's coconuts are concerted effort to encourage farm- six months we've had four produc- grown in countries such as Indone- ers to replant coconut palms, while ers contact us who are interested in sia, the Philippines, India, Brazil, Sri Lanka has launched a campaign planting areas to coconut in north- Sri Lanka, Vietnam, Mexico, Thai- to replant 6 million palms every ern Australia and I expect that the land and Malaysia. Coconut pro- year to ensure future supply. Pa- interest will continue to increase." duction is also a key source of cific governments are also giving revenue for Pacific nations Fiji, priority to helping farmers plant One potential grower was consider- Samoa, Papua New Guinea, Vanu- more palms. But despite these ef- ing planting 150 hectares of coco- atu and Kiribati. The Philippines is forts, the squeeze is already being nuts in the Northern Territory. "If the world's largest producer of co- felt. Mr. Salum said many large you are planting 125 coconuts per conut oil and is also ramping up factories, which were established to hectare and you can get about 200 production of coconut water. Ac- process hundreds of thousands of coconuts per plant, you're getting cording to the Asian and Pacific coconuts each day, were now oper- about 25,000 coconuts per hectare, Coconut Community, an inter- ating at roughly half their capacity. per year," she said. governmental agency that works to "They can't get enough coconuts promote the coconut industry, ex- now," he said. "And if you are just selling those ports of coconut water from the as, say, a whole drinking fruit for Philippines jumped from just As many countries race to plant $2 each, you'd end up with about 647,000 litres in 2008 to 1.8 mil- more trees, it is likely there will be $50,000 per hectare." Dr. Biddle lion litres in 2010. It then soared to a shortage of popular hybrid varie- sees potential parallels between 61 million litres in 2015. ties of new plants. That is where Australia's olive oil industry and a Australian research could play a new virgin coconut oil industry. While business is booming for the crucial role. Scientists at the Uni- Philippines' coconut industry, the versity of Queensland have been "People planting olives were criti- country, like many other coconut developing tissue culture cloning cised initially and they've done so producing nations, faces a looming technology to produce baby coco- well," she said. "It's been a lot of shortage as trees age and produc- nut palm plants, known as plant- good product branding, encourag- tion declines. Uron Salum, a coco- lets, quickly and more cheaply. Dr. ing people to visit the region and nut farmer from Papua New Julianne Biddle, a researcher with really own the brand. I think that Guinea who serves as Executive the University's School of Agricul- could be something we could work Director of the Asian and Pacific ture, said in working on projects to towards in the coconut industry, for Coconut Community, said it was assist neighbouring Pacific nations sure." Dr. Biddle predicts a local widely acknowledged that after 60 with their coconut production, re- coconut industry would also bring years most coconut trees passed searchers began pondering whether benefits for Australian consumers. their production peak and entered Australia could also grow coconuts "A lot of people would argue that decline, producing fewer nuts. commercially. There has been talk the fresh products that are coming Some estimates suggest the world in the past of developing a com- into the country are not being well needs to plant a billion new trees to mercial coconut industry in Austra- looked after and that people are keep coconut production on track. lia, but it has never taken off. getting products on the shelves in supermarkets in the fruit section Mr. Salum said the industry now Dr. Biddle believes a number of that are rancid before they even faced a predicament of increasing factors mean the timing could now arrive," Dr Biddle said.

5 COCOINFO INTERNATIONAL, VOL. VOL. 24, No. 2, 2017 NEWS ROUND-UP

"[If we had a local industry] you Okkuta to allow sale of tender co- national Trade Centre (ITC), with would have much better access to conut water at all multiplexes and funding provided by the European fresh drinking coconuts. film theatres in the city. A demand Union. It was aimed at improving Mr. Salum of the Asian and Pa- to ban sale of aerated beverages income and employment opportu- cific Coconut Community also sees and cool drinks in multiplexes was nities, food security, and overall potential in a coconut industry in made by MLC M K Pranesh re- competitiveness of the Caribbean Australia's north, and said demand cently in the legislative council. coconut sector. Participating coun- for the product is only likely to Following this the Horticulture tries in the project include Jamaica, increase. Department with an intent to help Belize, St Vincent and the Grena- "As long as the population is the farmers, issued a note to all dines, St Lucia, and Suriname, increasing in the world, I believe Deputy Commissioners in the state among others in the region. Ac- the demand for coconuts will also to instruct the multiplex and theatre cording to CARDI country repre- grow." (http://www.msn.com) owners to make available tender sentative for Jamaica Dr. Gregory coconut water. ( h t t p : / / Robin, Jamaica has the most organ- NEERA LIKELY TO GO www.uniindia.com) ised coconut industry board in the GLOBAL region and so a partnership was INDONESIA LOOKS TO EX- developed with the local Coconut Addressing a roadshow in Chennai PORT COCONUT AND PINE- Industry Board, which had estab- on World Food India 2017, to be APPLE TO UZBEKISTAN lished a national stakeholder plat- held on November 3-5 in New form that addresses all the issues Delhi, Union Minister for Food Indonesia and Uzbekistan will en- along the value chain, from pro- Processing Harsimrat Kaur Badal hance bilateral cooperation in agri- duction to the manufacturing of said products such as neera would culture, as the two countries have a coconut water, oils and soaps. go a long way in promoting Indian huge potential in the sector. Indo- (http://caricom.org) processed food at the global arena nesia’s Agriculture Minister Amran and provide a platform for interna- Sulaiman, after a meeting with Uz- PHILIPPINE COCONUT AU- tional collaborations. bekistan Deputy Prime Minister THORITY TO GET P1.4 BIL- Zoir T Mirzaev said that Uzbeki- LION BUDGET FOR NEXT Gagandeep Singh Bedi, Principal stan was a potential export market YEAR Secretary (Agriculture), Tamil for the country's commodities, in- Nadu, said the state government is cluding coconut, pineapple and The Philippine Coconut Authority working to bottle and sell neera. other products. Both countries have (PCA) will get P1.4 billion alloca- Neera has low glycemix index and agreed that the cooperation would tion for 2018, the same budget possesses essential minerals, mak- focus on various issues, including level in the current year. Bulk of ing it a health drink. “It could be a the exchange of students and re- the amount will be used for re- healthy alternative to softdrink,” searchers. Uzbekistan has also planting of coconut trees nation- Bedi said. “We are in discussions asked for the transfer of cultivation wide. While PCA failed to get a with the Coconut Development technology for pepper, spices and higher budget as proposed at P3.5 Board and food processing compa- soybean, and an exchange of soy- billion, PCA Administrator Rom- nies to move the project forward”. bean genetic sources, Amran re- ulo dela Rosa said the agency (UCAP Bulletin) vealed. Indonesia will adopt irriga- would effectively utilize its ap- tion technology from Uzbekistan proved allocation. “Our priority SUPPLY OF TENDER COCO- and has asked the country to help it next year will be replanting, the NUT WATER MADE COM- promote its palm oil. (http:// bulk of the budget will go to that. PULSORY IN MULTIPLEXES www.freshplaza.com) We will focus on fertilization and IN MYSURU, INDIA research and development,” Dela COCONUT INDUSTRY BENE- Rosa said. The district administration has FITS FROM CARDI PROJECT made it compulsory for multiplex The PCA targets to increase the owners in the city to offer tender Since the implementation of the number of coconut trees by at least coconut to its movie going custom- Caribbean Coconut Industry Devel- 10 million trees this year, 15 mil- ers. With an objective to help coco- opment Project two-and-a-half lion trees in 2018, and 20 million nut growers and farmers who have years ago, the Caribbean Agricul- trees every year starting 2019. The been facing acute drought, Deputy tural Research and Development agency is also focusing on other Commissioner of Mysuru D. Ran- Institute (CARDI) has made sev- livelihood component such as co- deep has asked the multiplexes in eral strides in improving the local conut enterprise and high value Mysuru to make available tender coconut industry through training coconut products, allowing farmers coconut water. Following instruc- as well as the establishment of new to deviate from the mere coconut tions from the Commissioner of nurseries among other targeted and copra alone to supplement in- Horticulture Department, the DC initiatives. The four-year project come. Latest data showed that 3.5 has written a letter and urged the was undertaken through a partner- million hectares are planted with Mysuru Chalanachitra Mandiragala ship between CARDI and the Inter- coconut or 26 percent of the coun-

COCOINFO INTERNATIONAL, VOL. 24, No. 2, 2017 6 NEWS ROUND-UP

Try’s total agricultural land. Sixty- such as the rehabilitation through mon Islands has achieved such cer- eight out of the 81 provinces are the fertilization and plant selected tification and will allow KPSI to coconut areas. The Philippines is seednuts with option of obtaining meet international standards for the top exporter of coconut oil and high yields varieties and hybrids. food safety and expand their export other coconut-based products glob- In fact, in their Smallholder oil markets. KPSI Managing Director ally despite being only the third palm development project Bob Pollard said, “Achieving this largest coconut producer after India (SOPDP), in 2015 they have certification has been a real chal- and Indonesia. Coconut remains a planted a total of 12,288 seedlings lenge, especially for our young leading agricultural export of the while 12,000 for 2016. team, it has been one of our key country, earning no less than $1.5 goals. We are very thankful to billion annually since 2010. High- Under their new roadmap, Alayon PHAMA for their support. This est revenue was recorded in 2011 said PCA will increase productivity will support us in our export busi- at $1.95 billion. (UCAP Bulletin) & production, promote intercrop- ness, the real beneficiaries are the ping, value adding entrepreneurial coconut farmers and we hope this ROADMAP TO STRENGTHEN activities, farm & product diversifi- will allow us to open new markets COCONUT INDUSTRY cation and organize coco farmers to sell more.” preferably into cooperatives. After The Philippine Coconut Authority that, if cooperatives were estab- The certification was supported by (PCA) presented their roadmap for lished, it would easily give the the Pacific Horticultural and Agri- 2018-2022 focusing on strengthen- farmers access to direct credit to cultural Market Access (PHAMA) ing the coconut industry through enhance their farming. Senility of Program. PHAMA is an Australian addressing the challenges like low coconut trees, illegal cutting of Government initiative, co-funded production in order to meet the coconut trees, imminent decline in by the New Zealand Government. global demand of coconut prod- number of coconut farmers and PHAMA is also working with ucts. In her report during the 3rd inadequate social benefits, over- seven other local businesses who general assembly of the Davao Re- capacity/under-utilization of oil are working hard to undertake their gion Coconut Industry Cluster, Inc. mills, low copra price and preva- HACCP certification audits around at Grand Men Seng Hotel, PCA- lence of poor quality copra were November this year. These busi- Davao Project Development Offi- also some of the matters they are nesses are involved in a range of cer Juvy Alayon said that the PCA battling right now. With this road- food product industries including aims to increase the average annual map, they will involve the farmers coconut, seafood, root crops and production from 2.523 million met- in the trading & processing sectors ngali nuts. PHAMA’s Country ric tons copra by 2025 as well as of the industry and product diversi- Manager in Solomon Islands, An- the hectarage of bearing coconut fication, invest in Research & De- drew Piper, commented that “most trees from 3.4 to 4.4 million hec- velopment on medicinal & nutri- companies are able to comply with tares for the next seven years. tional benefits from coconut prod- the practical requirements for ucts in coordination with the pri- HACCP certification. The major Accordingly, Philippines is one of vate sectors. challenges for local businesses are the top coconut producers world- often the documentation and record wide, however, Alayon said that She added that marketing efforts -keeping requirements.” He added some farmers were discouraged to will also be enhanced particularly that “we hope several other busi- venture or continue in coconut for non-traditional high value prod- nesses will also be able to achieve farming because of the low income ucts and prioritize establishment of HACCP certification later this they get unlike other agricultural mini oil mills in islands and remote year”. crops which led to the decline of its rural areas to be operated by coco productivity. Low productivity is farmers’ cooperatives. In order to compete in international also the result of circumstances like (http://www.sunstar.com.ph) markets, it is important for export- natural calamities particularly El ing businesses to be able to show Niño and typhoon which affects the KOKONUT PACIFIC SOLO- overseas customers they meet rec- agricultural products, conversion of MON ISLANDS ACHIEVES ognised food safety standards such farms to residential area, and shift- FOOD SAFETY CERTIFICA- as HACCP. KPSI’s HACCP certi- ing of farmers to other crops. Thus, TION fication audit was conducted in the PCA is committed to "increase May 2017 by international HACCP the farm income to a level at least Kokonut Pacific Solomon Islands auditors AsureQuality. The full at par with existing poverty thresh- (KPSI), a local producer of virgin certification process took about 2 old, reckoned at an average of 2.1 coconut oils and soap products, has years starting with an initial gap hectares per farmer and increase recently achieved food safety certi- assessment in 2016 that identified annual foreign exchange earnings fication to the internationally rec- potential hazards and provided from $877 million to a minimum of ognized HACCP (Hazard Analysis food safety recommendations that $1 billion by 2025." and Critical Control Point) certifi- have since been implemented by cation standard. It is only the sec- KPSI. KPSI sources virgin coconut They have initiated interventions ond time that a company in Solo- oil from village producers and co-

7 COCOINFO INTERNATIONAL, VOL. VOL. 24, No. 2, 2017 NEWS ROUND-UP conut farmers throughout Solomon anything that is effective enough to Babuganj upazila, said he got five Islands. This product is refined and impact on the beetle population”. hundred seeds of Vietnam variety packaged at KPSI’s factory at The GPPOL General Manager said coconut last year and planted those. Lungga for sale as virgin coconut it is the smallholder oil palm grow- “After three years, we will get at oil and cosmetic products to mar- ers and also coconut growers who least 200-250 coconuts from each kets in Australia, New Zealand, are hard hit by the beetle invasion tree,” he added. Local variety coco- America and Europe. KPSI cur- as they do not have the resources to nut trees take a long time to bear rently exports about 200 metric implement their own control meas- fruit, but the Vietnam variety will tonnes of product per year and ures. give full production within three hopes to increase this trade in fu- (http://www.solomonstarnews.com) years, said farmer Mainul Shikder ture. (http://phama.com.au) of Babuganj area. Mainly Siam SECOND COCONUT TRIAN- Blue and Siam Green varieties REGIONAL EFFORT NEEDED GLE IN SRI LANKA TO BE have been planted in the region, IN BEETLE FIGHT ESTABLISHED IN NORTH said Deputy Director (DD) of the EAST district Horticulture Centre Swapan A concerted regional effort is re- Kumar Halder. “We are introduc- quired to eradicate the invasive Government is planning to estab- ing Vietnam variety like Siam Blue pest Coconut Rhinoceros Beetle lish the second coconut triangle and Siam Green because they bear (CRB), General Manager of Gua- basing the North and East with the fruits within a short time. Farmers dalcanal Plains Palm Oil Limited aim of doubling the coconut pro- will be more benefited farming this (GPPOL) Craig Gibsone said. He duction in 10 years, said Plantation variety, and production will rise warned that it is only a matter of Industries Minister Naveen Dis- three times in this region,” he said. time before the pest reaches Vanu- sanayaka. “We have got a budget Swapan said the soil here is suit- atu and Fiji or even the more coco- allocation of Rs 200 million for the able for coconut farming as it nut- dependent countries such as coconut project. Under this project grows fast in saline water. Vietnam Kiribati and Tuvalu. “I would like we will establish nurseries, start variety has been cultivated on over more attention to be paid to the offices while lands have been iden- 1,000 acres of land, he added. CRB and its potential impact not tified. In addition 300,000 coconut (http://www.thedailystar.net) only on Solomon Islands as we plants will be given to the people have seen.” The CRB has passed of this area. The government is AWARENESS SESSION FOR from Guam to Papua New Guinea planning to give more resources to PACKAGERS OF COCONUT and to Guadalcanal and is spread- the people through the Kapruka WATER ing on the most populous Malaita Agriculture societies”, said the and also the volcanic Savo Island. Minister. The coconut triangle The Bureau of Standards Jamaica “This is really a regional problem which includes the districts of Ku- hosted a coconut water awareness and will have regional conse- runegala, Puttlam and Colombo session on 27 September 2017 at quences. There needs to be a com- produces 3000 million nuts annu- the BSJs Multipurpose facility in bined effort across the whole Pa- ally and out of this 200 million are Kingston. The presentations in- cific to eradicate this invasive pest” exported while the balance is concluded relevant standards, relevant he told. sumed locally. The coconut trian- codes of practice, labelling require- gle covers 66 percent of the total ments, microbiological require- Mr. Gibsone said he is concerned acreage of the country. ments and understanding reports. that CRB is going to have devastat- (www.news.lk/news) (http://www.bsj.org.jm) ing impacts on the national economy and food security. “I believe VIETNAM VARIETY COCO- POTENTIAL FOR GROWTH the solution is further research to NUT FARMING GETS POPU- IN COCONUT INDUSTRY identify ways in which the beetle LAR can be controlled. Some research It is time Papua New Guinea diver- has been done within the Pacific, Farming of Vietnam variety coco- sifies the coconut industry and de- but more is required in order to nut is spreading rapidly in the velops other byproducts. Concerns come up with a long-lasting and southern region of the country as have already been raised by the economical solution. There are the land here is very suitable for Department of Agriculture and experts within the region that have growing it and growers get high Livestock that the copra sector has the capability to do this but more prices, farmers and experts said. not been doing well and failing to attention needs to be given to the On a visit to the horticulture centre make a big enough contribution to urgency of the problem”, he added. in the district, it was found that the economy. 40,000 Vietnam variety coconuts The GPPOL oil palm plantation had been distributed to farmers Why are we worrying about money was invaded by these invasive from the centre for the last one from copra only? Why not look at pests two years ago. “So far we are year, and the number was increas- expanding and adding value to co- trying out many things to control ing day by day. Faruk Sarder, a conut by developing other byprod- the beetle, but we are yet to find farmer of Chouhutkathi area in ucts?

COCOINFO INTERNATIONAL, VOL. 24, No. 2, 2017 8 NEWS ROUND-UP

We can have virgin coconut oil, shells for the charcoal industry from Exports) at the prestigious Presiden- coconut fibre and coconut lumber- 25,000 tonnes to 45,000 tones. Their tial Export Awards 2016 organized industries. Another potential export exports of natural activated carbon by the Export Development Board - are coconut shells. Papua New from coconut shells for use in water Sri Lanka held in a gala ceremony Guinea is listed as among the top filtering industry increased from presided by the President of Sri 10 coconut-producing country in 23,000 tonnes to 38,000 tonnes in Lanka. They have been recognized the world along with Indonesia, the same year. These lessons, exam- for their immense contribution to- Philippines, India, Brazil, Sir ples and attractive rates of what wards the development of activated Lanka, Mexico, Thailand and Ma- these countries are doing to boast carbon industry in Sri Lanka as pio- laysia. and diversify their coconut industry neers in the country to become the certainly put Papua New Guinea not highest value added exporter and too far behind. It’s time to muscle Statistics show that in 2011 we highest foreign exchange earner in up, put all our efforts and thinking this category. ( h t t p : / / produced over 1.2 million tonnes cap on to accelerate and take our of copra. The Kokonas Indastri www.haycarb.com) coconut industry to the next level to Koporesen (KIK) office should diversify the industry and maintain a HOW COCONUT OIL IS HELP- expand more into products like constant income for our growers and ING COMMUNITIES IN VANU- virgin coconut oil, coconut fibre, the nation in general. ATU! coconut shells and coconut char- (http://www.thenational.com.pg) coal, which has a variety of uses. The project is funded through the For Papua New Guinea, we possi- PHILIPPINE COCONUT ROAD- Australian Government’s aid pro- bly may have an oversupply of SHOW COMES TO LOS ANGE- gram, and the training was delivered coconut trees and coconuts in gen- LES completely in the local language, eral, but our challenge is to pro- Bislama, with Bislama resources for duce the volume that will be re- Leaders and members of the Philip- the people to take home with them. quired to meet demands from pine coconut industry launched a The whole training package was world markets. There should also coconut roadshow on Friday, Sep- also tailored to this particular group be a replanting programme with tember 8 at the San Gabriel Hilton who are setting up businesses re- copra producers asked to start re- Hotel in San Gabriel, Los Angeles. lated to a pilot we are working with planting now rather than later. To The show was the first out of four them which is about having reliable leverage and take advantage of being held throughout the United access to food. these, the KIK needs to aggres- States meant to share the outlook of sively put in place an 18 to 24- the Philippines’ booming coconut This week the participants have month plan, from drafting the oil industry that was recently threat- been learning about how other busi- strategies to exploring and securing ened by a report by the American nesses operate in and around the markets. Furthermore, we need to Heart Association (AHA) report. capital of Vanuatu, Port Vila. Spe- re-align and build capacity, and Sponsored by the Philippine Coco- cifically, they have been learning plan and strategies how to do it nut Authority (PCA), the United about marketing to both local and from the top down to the growers, Coconut Association of the Philip- tourist markets to apply lessons in buyers and exporters. pines (UCAP), and the Philippine their own communities on the is- government, around 20 coconut lands of Gaua, Pentecost and By diversifying we will create sta- industry companies and organiza- Maewo. The women have bought bility and be able to better weather tions came together to promote co- packaging for their oil and they all the storms of fluctuating world conut products for both food and have great ideas on how and where prices, and consequently, maintain non-food markets. Key speakers at to sell their products when they re- a steady flow of income for our the lunch panel included Virgin Co- turn to their communities. One conut Oil of the Philippines (VCOP) growers. Much of the work of di- woman owns a shop, another will founding member Marco Reyes, and utilise a cooperative, and another versification can be done by the United Coconut Association of the growers themselves. As they har- will discuss her products with the Philippines (UCAP) President Dean popular shop in the local town and vest the coconut meat and prepare Lao, Jr. Renowned Filipina Chef try to sell there. The coconut oil it for drying, they prepare the shells Cecilia de Castro also made an ap- they produce uses a different ma- and the fibre and therefore get pearance. chine to others and utilises a method three raw products from one nut. which is more pure than other ap- We don’t need to go far to see how HAYCARB WINS BIG AT proaches because it is taken directly and where we can exploit our coco- PRESIDENTIAL AWARDS 2016 from the coconut, not separated us- nut shells. Philippines, one of our ing water. This means the oil is of neighbouring Asian countries, is Haycarb PLC has won the awards particularly high quality. Our col- currently the world’s number one of ‘Highest Value Added Ex- league, Grace, who has been visiting coconut producer. In 2011 we were porter’ as well as ‘Highest Foreign there, has seen a sample and says it ranked within the top 10 coconut- Exchange Earner’ in Coconut Non- is the most fragrant coconut oil she producing nation in the world with Kernal Products Sector (in recogni- has ever come across! (https:// Philippines at the top. They have tion of its Coconut Shell Based Ac- anglicanoverseasaid.org.au) doubled their production of coconut tivated Carbon Manufacture and

COCOINFO INTERNATIONAL, VOL. 24, No. 2, 2017 9

HOW THE WRONG SCIENCE IS MAKING PEOPLE SICK: THE TRUTH ABOUT SATURATED FAT, ANIMAL FAT AND COCONUT OIL Dr. Fabian Dayrit1

Introduction Table 1. Fatty acid profile and cholesterol content of coconut oil and various animal fats.

Animal Fat2 On June 15, 2017, the American Fatty Acid Coconut Oil1 Heart Association released its Butter Beef Fat Lard (Hog Fat) Presidential Advisory entitled C4:0,% 3 “Dietary Fats and Cardiovascular butyric acid Disease.”Although the title men- C6:0,% <0.7 2 caproic acid tioned dietary fats, it was actu- C8:0,% 7 ally an attack on coconut caprylic acid oil.Although this Advisory tried C10:0,% 7 3 to appear authoritative and objec- capric acid tive, a detailed analysis shows C12:0,% 49 4 that it is full of errors and biases. lauric acid Medium-Chain 63 9 0 0 1. AHA attacked coconut oil Fatty Acids, % using studies that did not C14:0,% 19 12 3 2 involve coconut oil. miristic acid C16:0,% 9 26 27 27 palmitic acid Although the AHA Presidential C18:0,% 3 11 7 11 Advisory claimed that it would stearic acid present the “most recent studies, Long-Chain 31 49 37 40 on the effects of dietarysaturated Saturated Fatty fat intake,” it in fact just recycled Acids, % old studiexs and reinterpreted C16:1,% 3 11 4 them using statistical arguments. palmitoleic acid Four of the studies dated from C18:1,% 7.5 28 48 44 oleic acid the 1960s and 1970s and had C18:2,% 1.8 2 2 11 been previously criticized for linoleic acid being poorly executed. But more C18:3,% <0.2 to the point, all of these studies linoleic acid are irrelevant to coconut oil be- Unsaturated 9 33 61 59 cause none of themused coconut Fatty Acids, % oil as a test material: these stud- Cholesterol, 0 to 3 2150 1090 950 ies used animal fat and AHA just mg/kg assumed that animal fat and co- 1 Codex Alimentarius 210-1999, amended 2015. Median values are calculated. conut oil are the same. They are 2 USDA Food Composition Databases. https://ndb.nal.usda.gov/ not! larity is simply incorrect. Fur- (tallow), and hog fat (lard). The Table 1 compares the fatty acid following conclusions are clear: ther, coconut oil is about 63% profiles and cholesterol content 1. Coconut oil has a vastly differ- medium-chain fat while beef of coconut oil, butter, beef fat ent fatty acid profile from ani- and hog fat do not contain any mal fats and to assume a simi-

Figure 1: Reproduction of part of the fatty acid table from the AHA Presidential Advisory (AHA page e4). AHAexcluded caproic acid (C6), caprylic acid (C8), and capric acid (C10) as components of coconut oil and lumped all saturated fats into one group

COCOINFO INTERNATIONAL, VOL. 24, No. 2, 2017 10 medium-chain fat (butter that “because coconut oil in- himself designed and imple- contains 9% medium-chain creases LDL cholesterol, a cause mented together with Ivan Frantz fat); of CVD, and has no known off- Jr. MCS was meant to finally 2. Coconut oil has negligible setting favorable effects, we ad- prove Keys’s saturated fat-heart cholesterol content while vise against the use of coconut disease hypothesis using a large animal fats are high in cho- oil.”(AHA page e13) This state- number of subjects (n=9,423), a lesterol; and ment is scientifically unaccept- long feeding period (4.5 years, 3. Animal fats are actually not able because the evidence of the from 1968-1973), a high level of saturated fats as Keys mis- link between LDL and CVD is dietary control, and double blind takenly assumed: in fact, only a correlation and its causal- randomized design. This study animal fats containcompa- ity has not been proven. The was conducted at the same time rable proportions of satu- AHA advisory cited two papers, that Keys was coordinating the rated fat and unsaturated fat. neither of which presented con- Seven Countries Study and vincing evidence that coconut oil would have provided powerful Unfortunately, most studies, in- was linked to CVD.I n fact, one validation for his saturated fat- cluding those used by AHA, as- of the papers that AHA cited heart disease hypothesis. sume that animal fats are satu- contradicted its position regard- rated fats and that coconut oil ing coconut oil stating that: al- In the end, Keys did not partici- and animal fats are similar. In though coconut oil raised LDL pate in the publication of the re- fact, animal fat is actually com- cholesterol, “observational evi- sults of the MCS study. A partial posed of long-chain saturated fat dence suggests that consumption report was made in a 1989 paper with lots of unsaturated fat. On of coconut flesh or squeezed co- this basis alone, we can say that conut in the context of traditional with Frantz as lead authorbut the whole AHA campaign dietary patterns does not lead to without Keys as co-author.This against saturated fat is based on adverse cardiovascular out- work remained hidden until 2016 the wrong definition of saturated comes.” – forty-three years after its com- fat and the warning against coco- pletion – when the raw data were nut oil is not valid. This repre- The AHA tried to further dis- unearthed and turned over to sents over 50 years of defective credit coconut oil by ignoring the Ramsden and co-workers, who dietary recommendations and beneficial effects of coconut oil then analyzed the data. The false information! on HDL claiming that: “changes mainconclusion from the MCS in HDL cholesterol caused by The AHA provided an incom- diet or drug treatments can no study was that a high omega-6 plete fatty acid profile of coconut longer be directly linked to diet effectively lowered serum oil in the tablethat it presentedby changes in CVD, and therefore, cholesterol, but also increased not listing capoic acid (C6), the LDL cholesterol-raising ef- the risk of heart disease, a result caprylic acid (C8), and capric fect should be considered on its that was the opposite of what acid (C10) as components of co- own.” (AHA page e13) The justi- Keys desired. conut oil (Figure 1). These fatty fication for this statement was acids, together with lauric acid based on a study that showed that The AHA eliminated the MCS (C12), are medium-chain fatty a genetic variant rendered HDL study from its list of “high qual- acids, and the AHA has consis- as an unreliable marker for pro- ity” core studies because of its tently ignored medium-chain tection against heart disease. “short duration, large percentage fatty acids as a distinct metabolic However, this genetic variant of withdrawals from the study, group from long-chain fatty ac- was found in only 2.6% of the and intermittent treatment, which ids.The correct fatty acid profile population. Similarly, a recent is not relevant to clinical prac- of coconut oil is given in Table paper reported that extremely tice.” (AHA page e7) They con- 1. high HDL levels may increase veniently ignored the fact that The AHA Presidential Advisory the risk of death but this was the MCS study was longer than is clearly full of errors. found in only 0.4% of men and some of the “high quality” stud- 0.3% of women. Clearly, these ies that it cited and was likely The AHA ignored studies that examples represent a minority of better designed and implemented were unfavorable to its posi- the population and are outliers. (by Keys himself). The AHA tion. Extremely high and low HDL concern regarding subject with- (and LDL) levels are unhealthy drawals had already been ade- AHA selected information that but this does not negate the value quately addressed previously by wasin favor of its agenda and of HDL as a beneficial cardio- Broste and Frantz. The AHA ignored other facts that were un- protective marker for coconut also critiqued the use of “lightly favorable, in particular, those oil. hydrogenated cornoil margarine pertaining to LDL and HDL, and in the polyunsaturated fat diet” the Minnesota Coronary Survey. The Minnesota Coronary Survey which would have contained Regarding LDL, the AHA stated (MCS) was a study that Keys

11 COCOINFO INTERNATIONAL, VOL. 24, No. 2, 2017 trans-fat, which is known to raise cholesterol. Ramsden and co- workers addressed this concern in their paper by pointing out that both Keys and Frantz were well aware of this problem and had already devised diets from previous studies which achieved re- ductions in cholesterol.The MCS study should remain an important study for consideration notwithstanding the AHA objection. The AHA Presidential Advisory is clearly biased.

Coconut has always been part of a healthy traditional tropical and Pacific island diet.

The AHA Presidential Advi- sory complained that: “A recent survey reported that 72% of the American public rated coconut oil as a ‘healthy food’ Healthy Virgin Coconut Coconut Oil comparedwith 37% of nutritionists. This disconnect be- The AHA is obviously un- in the US.It is soybean oil, an tween layand expert opinion aware of the numerous pub- omega-6 fat, which has prof- can be attributed to the mar- lished studies that document ited the most from the AHA howPacific island inhabi- support for a high omega-6 diet keting ofcoconut oil in the tantswho shifted from a coco- and warning against coconut popular press.” (AHA page nut diet to a Western dietbe- oil. e13) came more prone to heart dis- In 1987, the American Soy- ease and obesity. The AHA bean Association launched a Obviously, the AHA is of the wants us to miss the forest for “truth-in-labeling campaign” to opinion that the perception of the trees: There is no evidence demonize coconut oil to coconut oil as a health food is that coconut oil causes heart “increase market share for soy- just a health fad and that, as disease; instead, they want to bean oil.”This campaign, previously mentioned, it has focus only on LDL. which came to be known as the “no known offsetting favor- Tropical Oils War, severely able effects.”Coconut oil may At the same time that the AHA damaged the coconut indus- be a fad in the US, but it has is attacking coconut oil, it has try.Today, soybean oil ac- been part of a healthy tradi- been promoting a high omega- counts for 55% of the edible tional diet in the tropics and 6 diet. In 2009, AHA issued a vegetable oil consumption in Pacific islands for thousands science advisory which en- the US and the soybean indus- of years.The AHA probably dorsed a minimum of 10% try has been funding the AHA believes that a healthy diet can omega-6 in the diet, contrary to in the guise of supporting its only be proven within the con- the recommendations of inter- health campaignto further in- fines of its clinics and labora- national health agenciesto limit crease its market share. In ex- tories and not in the real world total omega-6 + omega-3 fat change, AHA is once again where people actually con- consumption to about 8%, and using defective science that sume the food. The AHA does to keep an omega-6 to omega-3 demonizes coconut oil and- not realize that people cannot ratio of no more than 5:1.The makesAmericans obese and live on a tropical island and excessive consumption of sick. not consume coconut every omega-6 fat and deficiency in day, and that despite this,do omega-3 fat may be one of the 1Dr. Fabian M. Dayrit is Professor, not suffer from heart disease. major contributors to the epi- Ateneo de Manila University, Philippines demic of obesity and diabetes and Chairman Scientific Committee, Asian and Pacific Coconut Community

COCOINFO INTERNATIONAL, VOL. 24, No. 2, 2017 12

FAKE NEW ALERT: THE AMERICAN HEART ASSOCIATION PROCLAIMS COCONUT OIL UNHEALTHY Dr. Bruce Fife1

n June 2017 the journal Circulation published an online article prepared by the American Heart Asso- Iciation (AHA) titled “Dietary Fats and Cardiovascular Dis- ease.” The focus of the article was to reiterate the AHA’s long- standing position against the use of saturated fats, recommending that we replace them with polyunsaturated fats, which they stated, are as effective as cholesterol-lowering statins in reducing the risk of heart disease.

This article was not the result of any new study but simply a statement of position by the AHA, Healthy Coconut Oil supported by select (cherry picked) studies. The article de- est, and sell a lot of papers. And These articles are examples of monized all saturated fats as bad they were right! “fake news” perpetuated by edi- because they increase LDL cho- Immediately following publica- tors solely to attract attention to lesterol—the so-called bad cho- tion of the article, other publica- their publications. Did you know lesterol; which in turn, suppos- tions quickly jumped on the that 50 percent of the media edly increases the risk of heart bandwagon and started produc- headlines about medical studies disease. Only half of one page, ing their own shocking stories are deceptively wrong? And that out of the 24 page article, ad- with headlines such as: these headlines don’t accurately dresses coconut oil specifically, match the content or conclusions along with discussions on dairy “Coconut Oil As Unhealthy As of the medical journal articles on fats, trans fats, and others. The Beef Fat” which they are based. This fact is article was not about coconut oil, from a review published in the it was about saturated fats. How- “Coconut Oil May Not Be As New England Journal of Medi- ever, the editors at USA Today Healthy As You think?” cine. Today editors are often in- saw it as a way to stir up contro- terested more in sensationalism versy by attacking the whole- These articles stirred up a than in reporting the facts and, some image of coconut oil with swarm of confusion. Over the consequently, we get a lot of the attention grabbing headline, past few years numerous new fake health news misleading the “Coconut Oil Isn’t Healthy, It’s studies, articles, and books have public. This is the case with the Never Been Healthy.” sung the praises of coconut oil attack on coconut oil. The AHA and many people, including doc- article was not specifically about Coconut oil has been gaining tors and nutritionists have recom- coconut oil, it was a statement of ground as one of the premiere mend it as one of the good fats. their position on saturated fats. healthy fats. The editors of USA Now, all of a sudden, according The AHA has always maintained Today knew that a widely per- to the media, the AHA is declar- the stance that saturated fats are ceived healthy fat that was now ing it unfit for human consump- bad and increase cholesterol lev- being labeled as unhealthy by the tion. What is going on here? els, which they claim increases AHA would generate huge inter- What is the truth? the risk of heart disease. They argue that all saturated fats raise

COCOINFO INTERNATIONAL, VOL. 24, No. 2, 2017 13 total cholesterol and LDL cho- tion such as the fact that poly- nut oil and other health- lesterol and, therefore, increase unsaturated vegetable oils in- promoting saturated fats. the risk of heart disease. What crease the small, bad LDL cho- they conveniently fail to men- lesterol and increase the risk of I am not alone in saying the tion is that total cholesterol is cancer, neurological disorders AHA is misguided on this is- not an accurate indicator of (including macular degenera- sue. The following links go to heart disease risk. They also tion), and autoimmune disease, several others who have come don’t mention that saturated or that coconut oil can prevent, out with statements regarding fats, including coconut oil, in- and possibly even reverse these coconut oil and heart disease. crease HDL cholesterol—the conditions. good cholesterol that reduces Dr. Anthony Pearson, a cardi- the risk of heart disease. ologist at St. Luke's Hospital in St. Louis in his article “Beware Another fact they tend to down- “Coconut oil is still Of More Misinformation From play is that there are actually The American Heart Associa- two types of LDL cholesterol: healthy. It ‘s always tion On Coconut Oil and Satu- one, that is small and dense, been healthy” rated Fats” ( https:// and another, that is large and theskepticalcardiolo- buoyant. The large buoyant gist.com/2017/06/18/beware-of- LDL cholesterol is also a form more-misinformation-from-the- of good cholesterol. It is the The report also failed to men- american-heart-association-on- type of cholesterol that is used tion that populations that use coconut-oil-and-saturated-fats/), to make bile, hormones, and coconut oil as their primary provides an excellent rebuttal to vitamin D; it is essential not source of fat have the lowest the AHA article. only for good health, but for life rates of heart disease in the itself. The small dense LDL, on world. The report failed to men- Bestselling author of Eat Fat, the other hand, is the type of tion a lot of important facts, Get Thin, Mark Hyman, MD, cholesterol that becomes oxi- including the financial associa- weighs in on the controversy. dized, and all oxidized lipids tions of the authors. I examined http://drhyman.com/ are unhealthy, and can contrib- the original article and could blog/2016/04/06/is-coconut-oil- ute to heart disease. Coconut oil find no financial disclosure that bad-for-your-cholesterol/ increases HDL, large LDL, and generally accompanies schol- reduces small dense LDL. The arly articles. Which strongly Diana Rogers, RD, explains overall effect is that coconut oil suggests that the authors may why coconut oil won’t kill you, reduces the cholesterol ratio, have financial ties with the but listening to the American thus lowering the risk of heart vegetable oil or pharmaceutical Heart Association might! disease. The cholesterol ratio is industries. Indeed, Dr Barbara http://sustainabledish.com/ recognized as being a far more Roberts, a cardiologist, dis- coconut-oil-wont-kill-listening- accurate indicator of cusses the financial connection american-heart-association- heart disease risk than total cho- of the authors in her article might/ lesterol. Coconut oil may in- h e r e : h t t p : / / crease total cholesterol in some www.thedailybeast.com/the- Mary Newport, MD, who used people, but it does so by in- heart-associations-junk-science- coconut oil to successfully treat creasing good LDL and HDL, diet. her Alzheimer’s affected hus- not the bad LDL. band, comments. The AHA should not be al- https://www.facebook.com/ Blood triglycerides is another lowed to profit off their own CoconutOilandAlzheimers/ independent risk factor for heart dietary advice, but apparently posts/898200733651342 disease. In fact, they seem to they do which makes their rec- have a greater influence on ommendations questionable. Gary Taubes, an investigative heart disease risk than choles- The article entitled science and health journalist terol. Sugar and refined carbo- “Controversial Pharma CEO To and bestselling author, gives a hydrates increase triglycerides, Chair AHA Charity Ball” by detailed analysis. while coconut oil reduces Larry Husten, March 24, 2017 http://garytaubes.com/vegetable triglycerides, thus again lower- (www.cardiobrief.org) also ex- -oils-francis-bacon-bing-crosby ing risk of heart disease. Did plains about the financial rela- -a nd -t he -a me r i ca n -he art - the AHA report mention this? tionship between the AHA and association/ No, the authors seem to have the pharmaceutical industry. forgotten to say anything about This is just one example of the 1Bruce Fife is Certified Nutri- this important point. In fact, the conflict of interest with the tionist and Doctor of Naturopa- AHA article seemed to leave AHA. It’s no wonder why the hic Medicine, Dirctor of Coco- out a lot of important informa- AHA is so much against coconut Research Center, USA.

14 COCOINFO INTERNATIONAL, VOL. 24, No. 2, 2017

THE INVESTMENT OPPORTUNITIES IN COCONUT SECTOR IN INDRAGIRI HILIR Muhartoyo1

ndragiri Hilir Regency, Riau Province is a strategic area for investors as it is located between Malaysia Iand Singapore. It is also close to the centers of economic growth of Batam and Bintan. In addition to the location, the Regency government also gives necessary support for investors by providing integrated investment service the so called “One Door Service” which will give complete service to investors including potential business opportunities as well as admistrative formalities.

Indragiri Hilir is the regency with the largest coconut stands in Indonesia accounting for 429,694 Ha or about 12.12% of Indonesian coconut plantation. About 70% of people in this regency are dependent on coconut.

According to Indragiri Hilir Regent, Mr. H.M. Wardan, with large coconut areas in his regency, opportunities for investors are wide open. Currently about 100,000 Ha A Coconut Plantation in one of Coconut Areas in Indragiri Hilir coconut plantations are badly damaged, and this is an estimated that about 2.8 billion the economy of Indragriri Hilir opportunity for investors to nuts per year are still available community. revitalize these areas. Morever, a for processing. These figures high yielding coconut variety show that investment in coconut Unique Coconut Cultivation called Sri Gemilang is now processing is still wide open. System available. This coconut variety is suitable for this area as it has The incumbent Regent, Mr. It is interesting to note that high yields, with high oil content Wardan, said that coconut is not unlike coconut in other areas and adaptive to the tidal swampy only the tree of life for Indragiri which usually grows in dry land, areas. Hilir people, it is the primemover coconut in coconut in Indragiri of people’s economy. In other Hilir is cultivated in tidal Another opportunity is in the words, improving coconut sector swampy areas. This geographic coconut processing industry. means improving the welfare of condition makes coconut Currently there are 5 big coconut the Indragiri Hilir people. production in this area way industries processing 5 million Therefore, since he assumed below standard as coconut nuts a day or about 1.8 billion office of the Regency, he did his plantations were often unandated nuts a year. Meanwhile about 70- best to improve his people’s when sea level rises. However, 80 million nuts are exported to werfare through coconut it was Syaikh Abdurrahman neighbouring countries and for development program. He tried Shiddiq, an Islamic religous domestic consumption. It is to retain coconut supremacy in leader in early 1900s, who had

COCOINFO INTERNATIONAL, VOL. 24, No. 2, 2017 15 brilliant ideas to make canals to control the tidal waters. The canal system proved to be a good solution to improve coconut production in this area.

The increased coconut production is due to the minerals brought in during the rising tide and left in the coconut farms during the low tide. The canal systems did not only improve coconut productivity but also give solution to the transportation problems when they wanted to transport their coconuts to other areas. The canals systems enable coconut farmers to transport their coconuts from the farms to the down stream ports or processing site by floating them in the canals or trenches during the low tide. This success story was soon spread out all over the region. A lot of cannals and trenches were developed thourghout coconut plantations in this regency. Therefore this regency is also called the Land of a thousand trenches. Coconuts are being floated from the farm to a down stream processing site The canal-based coconut farming system uniquely regions. As a result, the mud embankement in its own sub- practiced in this regency is the carried by the rising tide district. result of local wisdom to adapt quickly makes creeks, canals, As coconut is the main with the geographical and and trenches shalow. livelihood of this region, price climatic condition of this area. of coconuts directly affect the With this good coconut Due to the sedimentation of people’s welfare. Therefore the cultivation coupled with the canals and creeks, seawater Regency Government is trying good price of coconut in 70’s to intrusion is inevitable because hard to stabilize coconut price early 80’s coconut gained when rising tides come the in this region which is supremacy in the Indragiri Hilir seawater is trapped inside the remunerative for coconut economy. coconut plantation. Unandated farmers so that they will be coconut farms make coconut wholeheartedly maintain their The success of this canal-based production drops, even coconut coconut farms. One of the coconut farming system in this trees are dying. efforts is to allow export of tidal swampy area depends on whole coconuts to other three factors, i.e. 1) The committment for coconut countries such as Malaysia, Embankement to prevent sea revitalizing coconut sector in Philippines, and Thailand. water intrusion, 2) canals, 3) Indragiri Hilir regencey is Direct export of whole coconuts canal gate valve. In the last translated into the priority in has provided coconut farmers decade, coconut production in the infrastructure development. more alternative to sell their Indragiri Hilir was decreasing. Every year the Regency coconuts and proved to be Having observed the condition government allocates capable of improving coconut in the fields, the Regency substantial amount of its budget price. Government concludes that the for the rehabilitation of canal decreasing coconut production embankment and each sub- Actually the Regency was caused by the destroyed district is provided with one government prefers the coconut mangroves resulting in the excavator that can be used to not to be exported but to be abrasion along the coastal improve the damaged processed in the region so that

COCOINFO INTERNATIONAL, VOL. 24, No. 2, 2017 16 people get the value addition from their coconuts. In line with this intention, the Regency government encourages the existing coconut processing factories to help the local government to improve people’s welfare by purchasing coconuts at reasonable price, similar to the price given by coconut exporters so that Guest of honors on the main stage during the Opening Ceremnony of World Coconut Day and Inter- coconut farmers will be national Coconut Festival 217 in Tembilahan, Riau. enouraged to maintain their coconut farms and the factories get raw materials they need.

Investment Campaigns

As the Regency with the largest coconut hectarage, Indragiri Hilir Regent are rigorously working to attract more investors to invest in coconut Mr. Uron N. Salum, APCC Executive Director (Second from Left) and Mr. Wardan, Regent of Indragiri sector. To attract the Hilir (Fourth from Left) were visiting the exhibition of coconut products investments to come to this region, physical infrastructures in the area are being improved. Since 2015 Tempuling airport has been operating and Susi Air is now plying Tembilahan- Pekanbaru once a week (every Thursday). A total of 21 small river ports have been built with their supporting facilities. This port measures 8 meter wide and 50 m long with the capacity of 300 ton. In addition, the Regency is preparing the The Cultural Show during the Gala Dinner development of Kuala Enok popularity in China. Some of the capital city of the regency. A port as an ocean port which has the popular coconut products are number of events were organized bulk terminal, cargo terminal, coconut milk drink, coconut during the celebration including passanger terminal, and tug candy and biscuits. He further the seminar to discuss coconut boat terminal. said that there are 400 coconut sector revitalization. APCC Team processing companies in Hainan consisting Mr. Uron N. Salum, Trade cooperation with China is and the area under coconuts is APCC Executive Director, Mrs. Deepthi Nair, Assistant Director, now being explored the less than 70,000 Ha. As the the demand for coconut products Mr. Alit Pirmansyah, Market Regency Government. Recently continues to grow, they need Development Officer, and Mr. Chinese business delegates more raw materials which cannot Muhartoyo, Documentalist, were facilitated by China Council for be supplied by the existing part of the Guests of honors the Promotion of International coconut plantation in Hainan. He during this event. During the Trade (CCPIT) visited Indragiri further said that more detailed Seminar, Mr. Uron presented a Hilir. During this visit the prospectus from the Indragiri paper on the Global Scenario on Regent said that when trade Hilir Regency is needed to follow Production, Productivity and cooperation is in place, up the trade cooperation. Marketing of Coconut Indragiri Hilir is ready to Commodities. This event was supply coconut products to To support the investment successful in generating China. campaigns on coconut sector, on increased awareness on the September the Regency importance of coconut sector Meanwhile the representative of Government organized the World development. Chinese delegate, Mr. He Sheng Coconut Day and International 1Muhartoyo is Documentalist of Asian Xiang said that at the moment Coconut Festival from 9 to 11 and Pacific Coconut Community, Ja- coconut products are gaining September 2017 in Tembilahan, karta, Indonesia

COCOINFO INTERNATIONAL, VOL. 24, No. 2, 2017 17

THE ROLE OF INDUSTRIALIZATION IN IMPROVING THE WELFARE OF COCONUT FARMERS Tay Enoku1

Coconut’s growth cycle is relatively longer than competing crops. Consequently, it typically is not compatible with mainstream business cycle that is shorter in nature. To synchronize the two cycles, proper management strategies and practices need to be ensured. From harvesting to shipping processed goods out. The significance of the management strategies and practices becomes more pronounced when the nature of the processing is that of integrated one. In this context, the undertaking becomes a giant balancing act as different products are consumed by different markets and at different rhythms and cycles.

uch that sustainable co- coconut farmers’ cost of living, tensify the existing disharmoni- conut processing must be which in turn, influences the ous relationship within the eco- understood through eco- price at which they would be system. Not ensuring economic S system perspective. To willing to accept to continue sustainability of all stakeholders try to understand the role of in- their coconut plantations. would impair the industrializa- dustrialization of coconut proc- tion of coconut processing. essing in less than ecosystemic Continued disharmony between manner is not only limiting pro- regulatory, processing technol- To counter the above cautionary gress but also to the detriment of ogy and business infrastructures observations, there are plenty of the coconut farmers. Ecosys- would compromise the sustain- reasons to be optimistic about the temic perspective is the only way ability and consistency of coco- development of coconut industry, to ensure that industrialization nut industry’s growth. From sov- which are primarily driven by will be achieved in a sustainable ereignty perspective, it will also the increasing number of health manner. Assuming the ecosys- determine the who the ultimate conscious consumers. Empow- temic perspective requires taking beneficiary will be. Fundemen- ered by the development of in- into account the significance of tally, the disharmony primarily formation technology, consumers all valuable stakeholders. This caused by misalignment between of today and tomorrow are able also concerns the determination the different stakeholders’ time to access facts and information in of who should be included and horizons. Sustainable and consis- making smarter choices and deci- excluded from the ecosystem tent industrialization of coconut sions. This has been so when it itself as well as how should the processing that aims to improve comes to the selection of coconut included parties behave to ensure the welfare of coconut farmers -based products in place of less sustainability of the ecosystem. need to be understood and imple- healthy alternatives. mented by using longer time ho- Unlike some other competing rizon. Sustainable industrialization of crops, the majority of coconut coconut processing coupled with plantations belong to the small- Using longer time horizon means sustainable farming practices holder farmers. Increasing the prioritizing long term objectives would allow the stakeholders in ownership of coconut plantations over short term ones. Develop- both parties to maximize the by private sector will not neces- ments that jeopardizes those long benefits from this developing sary make positive contribution term objectives are detrimental to trend. Fundamentally, there is to the sustainability of the eco- the welfare of coconut farmers no and must not be dichotomy system itself. Advanced multirat- whether directly of indirectly. between the coconut processing eral developments would be re- Sustainable improvement of co- industry and the coconut farmers quired to overcome this particu- conut farmers’ welfare must as they are essentially “in the lar obstacle. equally take into account envi- same boat” in the long run. Mod- ronmental, social and economic els that are not supporting the Sustainable industrialization that perspectives. Environmental deg- self-enforcement of benefits be- aims to improve the welfare of radation would render the planta- tween the coconut farmers and coconut farmers must take into tion infertile, so would lack of the coconut processing industries coconut economic realities at climate change mitigation imple- will not be sustainable. macro level, especially that of mentations. Socially ignorant inflation. Inflation influences practices and policies would in- Such model must clearly and

COCOINFO INTERNATIONAL, VOL. 24, No. 2, 2017 18 Coconut Farmer and Coconut Processing Industry should prosper together in a sustainable manner equally benefit the farmers, the Ideally, the model that should ferred to the farmers to incen- government and the industry. be supported by stakeholders tivize them to sustain their co- Such model should also ensure must be based on a comprehen- conut plantations. Lastly, the that capita proceeds be opti- sive understanding about the governance in place can either mally pumped back into the variety of possible cause-and- enhance or inhibit industry’s supply chain to incentivize co- effects relationships that make function to do so. Considering conut farmers to sustain their up the model itself. Neglecting the current demand-supply gap plantation instead of switching any of the important cause-and- for coconut products, the pro- to competing crops. Such eco- effect relationship will result in duction of coconut products nomic strategy would support suboptimal model, which in will very likely improve in the the social and environmental turn, will undermine the sus- future. So would exports. The needs of the coconut farmers. tainability of the industrializa- only remaining question is Most importantly, the imple- tion process itself. In turn, this which country will end up be- mented governance infrastruc- will undermine the industry’s ing the top exporter of coconut ture must support such model. ability to improve the welfare products and which will end up of the coconut farmers in sus- being the top importer of coco- Considering the relatively tainable and consistent manner. nut products. Expectedly, the longer growth cycle of coconut one with most coherent effi- trees, any mishaps of govern- From economic perspective, ciency and governance will ance related the sustainable in- sustainability and consistency most likely win the coconut dustrialization would not typi- can be achieved by adding as race. cally result in immediate feed- much value as possible to the back. Nevertherless, the de- coconuts itself as the input feed layed cost of such mishaps is of the industry. Equally impor- 1Tay Enoku is Vice President Direc- still great. The higher opportu- tant, the industry must also tor, Sambu Group, the world largest nity cost value that is impacted function as the conduit through integrated coconut industry based in by the mishaps, the higher the which the value can be trans- Indonesia. cost.

COCOINFO INTERNATIONAL, VOL. 24, No. 2, 2017 19

PEST AND DISEASE FREE COCONUT P. Chowdappa, Vinayaka Hedge, Chandrika Mohan, A. Josephrajkumar, Merin Babu1

1. Introduction

Integrated Pest and Disease Man- agement (IPDM) in coconut is a holistic concept wherein all components of management strategies are integrated in as compatible manner as possible so as to prevent the insect population/ diseases attaining action thresh- old. While ensuring the pest and disease incidence under tolerant level, IPDM maintains a quality environment for the use by next generation. Adoption of IPDM practices enable sustainability of ecosystem which is extremely important in economic productivity in agriculture. It considers whole production system and always leaves a pest residue for the natural enemies to sustain.

Coconut is affected by a wide array of insects, mites, rodents and lethal / debilitating diseases. The IPDM tools for a united con- Healthy Coconut Plantation vergence for sustainable pest/ disease management tactics will dents. Shallow planting leads to from trunk is advised to ward off be discussed hereunder. With the heavy incidence by red palm red palm weevil attack. Avoid formation of Coconut Producer's weevil and pits of size 1 m3 are succulence by excess application Society and Federation through- recommended for seedling plant- of nutrients. Farm hygiene and out the coconut growing tracts of ing. Coconut seedlings planted in removal of breeding grounds of the country, community-mode in shallow pits show exposed bole rhinoceros beetle is the foremost extension outreach of pest/ region and proliferating roots option in the management of rhi- disease management options are that invite bole entry of red palm noceros beetle. Soil-test based wide open and many a time suc- weevil. Never mulch seedlings nutrient application along with cessfully accomplished through with coconut leaves during the dolomite and in situ biomass re- farmer-participatory approach. early stage of establishment. cycling through raising cow pea Poorly-drained soil is unsuitable in palm basin and incorporation 2. Approaches in Pest and Dis- for coconut planting and seed- during flowering are sound tech- ease Management lings in water logged condition niques to improve the palm would invite skipper butterfly health after invasion by coconut 2.1. Cultural Approaches: Sim- attack and root grub incidence. eriophyid mite and leaf eating ple adoption of good agricultural Timely crown cleaning reduces caterpillars. Removal and de- and agronomic practices will be the damage caused by coreid bug struction of heavily infested handy for pest avoidance as pre- and coconut eriophyid mite. De- leaves are sound options in the vention is always better than struction of red palm weevil in- management of black headed cure. Planting coconut seedlings fested palms, beyond recovery caterpillar and slug caterpillars. with correct spacing and fully reduces the floating weevil popu- Summer ploughing exposes the exposed to sun light ad libidum lation quite considerably. white grubs for avian predators. are the best agronomic practices Mulching of palm residues to avoid infestation by rhinoceros Avoiding injuries to palm and around the basin, raising green beetle, red palm weevil and ro- cutting petiole beyond 1.2 m manure crops as well as provid-

COCOINFO INTERNATIONAL, VOL. 24, No. 2, 2017 20 ing summer irrigation improves the health of the palm significantly.

For a perennial crop like coconut, cultural practices form an important component of integrated disease management (IDM). Phytosanitation plays a vital role in the management of crown diseases viz., bud rot, leaf rot and grey leaf spot of coconut. Removal of the infected tissues eliminates or reduces the amount of inoculum facilitating the effective management of the disease by biological/chemical means. More- over, rotten/fermented tissues in palms with leaf rot and bud rot diseases produce a spectrum of odorants that elicit stronger attraction in red palm weevil.

The attracted weevils lay eggs on the moist rotten tissues in Rhinoceros Beetle, Rhinoceros-affected Coconut Leaves, and Rhinoceros traps the disease affected portions of the palm. These diseased tissues stem rot disease. Application of lar moths in endemic tracts of serve as the point of entry/ farm yard manure, neem cake, Andhra Pradesh and Kerala. breeding site of the pest. In bud recommended dose of nutrients rot endemic areas, priority has and moisture conservation by 2.3. Biological Suppression: to be given to the removal and coconut husk burial enhances Biological pest suppression is destruction of severely affected the health of the palm and re- the most ecologically sound and or dead palms as they may duce the severity of disease in environmental-friendly ap- serve as inoculum reservoirs of root (wilt) disease (RWD) af- proach that acts slowly with the pathogen. Removal of infected palms. long-term effect. Some of the oculum/ infected tissues help to classical examples in coconut bring down the possibility of 2.2. Use of Mechanical Tools: pest management come under recurrent infection and prevent Use of mechanical devices and this category. Application of an greater losses incurred from the direct involvement of mankind entomopathogenic green mus- spread of the disease. Providing are grouped under this category cardine fungus, Metarhizium anisopliae on the breeding pits proper irrigation and drainage which is quite compatible with 11 in the field plays a critical role all techniques. Collection of @ 5 x l0 spores / m3 is an in the incidence and spread of emerging adult beetle of white effective low cost farmer bud rot, stem bleeding and grubs during June-July and use friendly technology in the sus- basal stem rot diseases. of light traps in monitoring the tainable management of rhinoc- pest reduces the incidence of eros beetle. Since wounds on the trunks white grub. Mechanical hook- predispose the palms to infec- ing of rhinoceros beetle is per- This has been successfully im- tion by stem bleeding pathogen, haps the best method of man- plemented though farmer par- care should be taken not to in- agement that a marginal farmer ticipatory mode by the Institute. jure the stem base while can adopt. Banding the palm Oryctes rhinoceros nudivirus is ploughing and avoid trash burn- trunks using polythene sheets or utilized for bio-suppression of ing near the base of the palm. metal bands avoids climbing of rhinoceros beetle. Release of 10 Isolation of diseased palms rodents to crown. Tying fertil- -12 virosed beetles/ha reduced from healthy ones by digging a izer gunny bags on the crown as rhinoceros beetle incidence. trench (60 cm deep and 30 cm well as baiting with traps are Placement of three filter paper wide) around the affected palm sound techniques in rodent sachets containing 12-15 Het- (1.2 m away from the base of management. Establishment of erorhabditis indica-infected the trunk) and avoiding flood light traps could help both in Galleria mellonella cadavers on irrigation or ploughing reduce/ monitoring and reducing the the leaf axils after application check the spread of the basal population of the slug caterpil- of 0.002% imidacloprid sup-

COCOINFO INTERNATIONAL, VOL. 24, No. 2, 2017 21 pressed the grubs of red palm weevil. Augmentative release of stage-specific parasitoids viz., the larval parasitoids Goniozus- nephantidis (Bethylidae) @ 20 parasitoids/palm, Braconbrevi- cornis (Braconidae) @ 30 parasitoids/palm, the pre-pupal parasitoid, Elasmusnephantidis (Elasmidae) @49%/100 pre- pupae, and the pupal parasitoid Brachymerianosatoi (Chal- Chowghat Green Dwarf x West Coast Tall, More Resistant to Pest and Disease cididae) @32%/100 pupae at the appropriate time was found monas fluorescensl Bacillus mixture or azadirachtin 10,000 effective in the sustainable subtilis/consortium of these ppm @ 0.004% or root feeding management of black headed microbes(50 g talc based for- caterpillar. This technology also mulation in 500 ml water) to with neem formulations con- has been validated in large area the spindle leaf axils twice in a taining azadirachtin 50,000 ppm demonstrations by ICAR- year can be adopted as a pro- at 7.5 ml or azadirachtin 10,000 CPCRI. phylactic measure during April- ppm at 10 ml with equal vol- May and October-November in ume of water three times during Application of talc based prepa- leaf rot disease endemic areas. March-April, October- ration of Hirsutellathompsonii Placement of Trichoderma coir November and December- @ 20 g / 1/ palm containing 1.6 pith cakes (2 nos.) in the inner January is recommended for the x 108cfu with a frequency of most leaf axils protects the management of the coconut three sprayings per year signifi- palms from bud rot. For stem eriophyid mite. Placement of cantly reduced eriophyid mite bleeding affected palms, smear- tablet-mode botanical cake on population on coconut. Drench- ing of a paste of talc based for- the leaf axils was found effec- ing aqua suspension of EPNs mulation of Trichoderma har- tive in the management of rhi- Steinernema carpocapsae in thc, zianum (CPCRI TD 28) on noceros beetle. Spraying of interspaces of palms at 5-10 cm bleeding patches along with the azadirachtin 300 ppm depth with a dosage of 40 - 50 basin application of neem cake (Nimbecidene) @ 0.0004% (13 lakh infective juveniles/5 liter (5 kg) enriched with T har- ml / 1) reduced the coreid bug of water suppressed white grub zianum per palm during Sep- incidence at the highest level. incidence. The application of tember-October effectively Two rounds of azadirachtin EPN shall be repeated as and manages the disease. Basin ap- spray on young 1-5 months old when needed based on the grub plication of neem cake (5 kg) coconut bunches during May- population. Coccinellid beetles, fortified with T harzianum June and September-October Chilocorus nigritus, Cryptogna- (CPCRI TD 28) manages basal are quite essential for satisfac- tha nodiceps, Pseudoscymnus stem rot disease. tory control of coreid bug in the anomalus, Pseudoscymnus dwi- field. pakalpa, Scymnus luteus, Rhy- 2.4. Use of Botanicals: Botani- zobius spp. and Telsimianitida cals constitute yet another bio- 2.5. Host plant resistance: The suppress the scales and mealy rational approach in coconut most effective, at the same-time bug population by predation. pest management. Since time a very difficult and time- Hence, chemical pesticides in immemorial, use of botanicals consuming approach in peren- management of these sucking has been leading from the front nial crop system, is the devel- pests have to be judiciously in sustainable pest management opment of tolerant cultivars used. in coconut. Incorporation of the against biotic stresses. Kalpa- common weed plant, Cleroden- haritha (a selection of Ku- dron infortunatum on the ma- lasekaram Tall) recorded the Management of disease using nure pits to induce larval-pupal lowest mite incidence in the bioagents is an ecofriendly and abnormalities in feeding grubs field and could be a preferred sustainable component of IDM is an easily adoptable practice choice in endemic zones. Dwarf in coconut. Use of antagonistic against rhinoceros beetle. Fill- genotypes such as CGD, microbes with biocontrol poten- ing up top most leaf axils with MGD,Gangabondam are rela- tial has been proved to be an 250 g neem cake/ maroti cake / tively more susceptible to red effective tool in the manage- pongamia cake along with equal palm weevil attack than Tall ment of leaf rot, stem bleeding volume of sand in palms re- genotypes. and basal stem rot diseases. Ap- duced rhinoceros beetle attack. plication of 10% solution of talc Spraying 2% neem oil garlic Disease resistant/tolerant variet based formulation of Pseudo-

COCOINFO INTERNATIONAL, VOL. 24, No. 2, 2017 22 ies are the cheapest and effective means of disease management especially in a perennial crop which remains in the field for many years. Use of a resistant genotype reduces the cost involved in plant protection and is of utmost importance in the management of phytoplasmal diseases which are not cured by any known chemical/ biocontrol measures. Use of disease free quality seedling is recommended for planting in disease endemic areas as this will help in the better initial establishment. ICAR-CPCRI has released two resistant/tolerant varieties viz., Kalparaksha (selection from Malayan Green Dwarf), Kalpasree (selection from Chowghat Green Dwarf) and a hybrid Kalpasankara (Chowghat Green Dwarf X Rootwilt Disease affected Coconut Tree West Coast Tall) for RWD endemic tracts. factor in successful field reali- rhinoceros beetle attack to zation. Pheromone lures to at- 53.2%. 2.6. Behaviour modulation tract Opisinaarenosella moths tactics: Volatile chemistry is are available in the market. It is Disease management needs in the buzz word in innovative dispensed in the field in sticky inter/mixed cropping system pest management approach and traps and a trap density of 40 differ from those in pure stands. uses of semiochemicals has traps/ ha is recommended along With the increase in crop diver- been very successful in moni- with parasitoid release for pest sity due to multi-species cultiva- toring as well as trap and kill management. Olfactory condition the incidence and intensity strategy. Use of PVC phero- tioning of parasitoids using the of diseases may increase or de- mone traps `Oryctalure [ethyl 4 volatiles from larval frass en- crease. The intercrop should not methyoctonoate]' and field de- hanced the host searching abil- serve as an alternate/ collateral livery using nanomatrix @1 ity and swift recognition of the host of the pathogens affecting trap / ha is an innovative host, 0. arenosella by the parasi- coconut. Growing non host crops method in pest suppression. toid. helps to check the spread of soil Avoid installation of traps in borne diseases like basal stem gardens with juvenile palms. 2.7. Agro-ecosystem based rot. Installation of pheromone traps approach: The stimulo- with ferrugineol embedded on deterrant approach rather push- 2.8. Chemical control: This is nanoporous matrix @ 1 trap / pull strategy is emerging as an the most powerful technique that ha was found effective in mass needs to be judiciously used only important pest management on a need based manner. Resid- trapping of weevils. Impregna- component in perennial crop- tion of kairomonal blends con- ual toxicity need to be studied ping system. ICAR-CPCRI has before recommendation of a taining host-induced volatiles developed a crop habitat diver- enhanced the weevil catches chemical pesticide. Application sification strategy in the man- of imidacloprid 18.5 SL 0.02% substantially. Timely servicing agement of rhinoceros beetle (1 ml per 1 of water) or spinosad of traps with fresh food baits and red palm weevil through 2.5 SC 0.013% (5 ml per 1 of once in 6 days and avoiding volatile confusion and disorien- water) or indoxacarb 14.5 EC placement of traps in gardens tation of pest through diverse- 0.04% (2.5 ml per 1 of water) with juvenile palms or palms cropping techniques. Habitat was found effective in along intercropped with tall intercrops manipulation with crop diver- with other crop management (banana) are essential in suc- sity (nutmeg, rambutan, papaya, components for a cost effective cessful adoption of the technol- banana, glyricirdia, curry leaf, productivity of the crop is essen- ogy. coral vine, and sunflower) tial in making the farmer more along with coconut subdued competitive to face the chal- A farmer-participatory commu- Disease management needs in- lenges of the changing agricul- nity approach would be the key tural scenario.

COCOINFO INTERNATIONAL, VOL. 24, No. 2, 2017 23 Preserved Grubs, Pupae and Rhinoceros Beetles and Preserved Grubs and Adult Red Palm Weevils for Research

the suppression of red palm and curative treatment in dis- antine stations with diagnostic weevil with no residue detect- ease endemic areas. Crown labs have to be equipped to pre- able for imidacloprid in nut cleaning and application of Bor- vent the spread of RWD to non meat, water and leaves. Drench- deaux mixture (1%) to palms in endemic areas. The upsurge in ing the root zone with chlor- disease endemic areas before the report of new diseases on pyrifos 20EC @ 2.5m1/lit or the onset of monsoon preferably coconut in recent years from imidacloprid @ 240 g ai /ha or during the first week of June other coconut growing coun- bifenthrin @ 4.0 kg ai/ha during protect the palm from bud rot tries warrants the strengthening May-June and September- disease. Bordeaux paste (10%) of the disease surveillance, di- October is recommended for is recommended for the curative agnostics and management management of white treatment of bud rot affected techniques. grubs.Spraying lambda cy- palms. Root feeding of hex- halothrin @ 1m1/1 on the polli- aconazole SEC 2% (100 ml so- 3. Conclusion nated bunches was found effec- lution per palm) and soil tive in the management of drenching with hexaconazole Judicious integration of all coreid bug. In coconut, applica- 5EC @ 0.2% or Bordeaux mix- aforesaid techniques in a need tion of 10 g Bromadiolone ture @ 1% (40 1 solution per based manner with sustained (0.005%) blocks two times at palm) at quarterly intervals are scouting and surveillance are an interval of 12 days on the recommended for the manage- crown of one palm out of every ment of basal stem rot disease. key factors accomplishing plant five palms is recommended for health management for enhanc- effective control of rat. This 2.9. Legislative mode: The ing productivity in coconut. A method is highly cost-effective. most needed one but the least social outreach programme If the damage is restricted to emphasized tool in pest and through these tools would be certain palms, only such palms disease management is the leg- realistic for the sustainable co- require baiting. islative component. Sustained conut production which has surveillance, scouting and sen- redefined its position through Use of plant protection chemi- sitization programme have al- product diversification and cre- cals in disease management ready been made in the look out gained momentum with the dis- of the invasive pest, coconut ating demand among public. covery and development of leaf beetle, Brontispalongissima Integration of IPDM practices Bordeaux mixture by PA Mil- which has not so far entered our along with other crop manage- lardet. The introduction of fun- country due to strict quarantine ment components for a cost ef- gicides revolutionized the entire programme. However, this fective productivity of the crop concept of disease management needs to be further strengthened is essential in making the and became the most widely with the formation of an incur- farmer more competitive to face adopted and accepted compo- sion management team for tack- the challenges of the changing nent of IDM. Crown application ling the disaster upon accidental agricultural scenario. of 300 ml of fungicidal solution entry. The diseases prevalent in containing 2 ml of hexacona- other countries viz., cadang- 1The Authors are senior Scientists zole 5 EC in the cavity around cadang, lethal yellowing and at Central Plantation Crops Re- the base of the spindle is recom- foliar decay virus are the major search Institute (CPCRI), Ka- mended as prophylactic (April- biosecurity threats to coconut saragod, Kerala India. May and October-November) sector in India. Domestic quar-

24 COCOINFO INTERNATIONAL, VOL. 24, No. 2, 2017 HIGHLIGHTS OF 53RD APCC SESSION/MINISTERIAL MEETING IN TARAWA, KIRIBATI Deepthi Nair1

PCC Session/Ministe- rial Meeting is the highest decision A making body of the Community and is held annually to discuss, deliberate and take policy decisions on the activities to be undertaken by the Community for the sustained development of the global coconut sector. The countries are represented at the Session by the Honorable Ministers of Agriculture / Trade / Commerce, Plenipotentiary Delegates autho- rised by the National Govern- ments and senior officials from the concerned Ministries.

The 53rd APCC Session/ Honorable President of Kiribati His Excellency Taneti Maamau Graced the Inaugural Ministerial Meeting was hosted Ceremony of the 53rd APCC Session/Ministerial Meeting by the Government of Kiribati included Hon. Viam Pillay, Immigration from the who is the Chairman of APCC Associate Minister of Agriculture Government of Solomon Islands. during the CY 2017. The Session from the Government of Fiji, Hon. Jejwarwick Anton, Vice was organised at the House of Hon. Henry Ame MP, Vice Speaker of Parliament, Republic Parliament in Tarawa, the capital Minister for Agriculture and of the Marshall Islands led the city of Kiribati during 24-28 Livestock from the Government delegation from Marshall Islands. October 2017. The hosting of Papua New Guinea, Hon. The Plenipotentiary Delegates facilities were extended by the Lopao’o Natanielu Mua, Minister from 16 member countries Government of Kiribati through for Agriculture and Fisheries participated in the Session; the the Ministry of Commerce, from the Government of Samoa countries of Federated States of Industry and Cooperatives. The and Hon. William Bradford Micronesia and Vanuatu were not Kiribati Session was graced with Marau, Minister of Commerce, represented. the participation of Ministers Industry, Labour and from member countries which

Plenipotentiary Delegates and Distiguished Guests during the Inaugural Session

25 COCOINFO INTERNATIONAL, VOL. 24, No. 2, 2017 Comments and Statements by Plenipotentiary Delegates of 53rd APCC Session/ MInsterial Meeting The Minister for Natural the Government of Kiribati women groups are involved in Resources from the Government facilitated the inaugural program coconut sector development. He of Tuvalu, Hon. Puakena with the support of Mr. Uron N. stressed on the impact of climate Boreham Pasuna, also Salum, Executive Director of change on coconut production participated in the Session in APCC. and urged the member countries Observer status. Other observer to come together and collaborate organisations included Interna- H.E. Maamau in his inaugural in activities for the benefit of the tional Fund for Agricultural address expressed that Kiribati coconut farmers across the globe. Development (IFAD), The was honored to have got the He stressed on the need to Pacific Community (SPC), opportunity to host the APCC promote the nutritional and health Centre for Agriculture and Session and the theme has been attributes of coconut and its Bioscience International (CABI), set as “Tree of Life : Nurturing products in order to establish the and Promoting Coconut for Centro de Investigaci’on goodness of coconut. Cienti’fica de Yucatan (CICY), Inclusive Economic Growth” Caribbean Community (CARI- since coconut is the cash crop of APCC Plaques of Appreciation COM) represented by the Kiribati. The Hon. President gave were presented to His Excellency Caribbean Agricultural Research a brief statement on the general the President of Kiribati and the and Development Institute coconut scenario in the island Honorable Ministers in (CARDI) and the Melanesian country and the various activities attendance at the Session. APCC Spearhead Group (MSG). A total planned under the coconut sector Plaques of Recognition were of 72 delegates participated in the development strategy of the presented to the awardees from Session. The country of Kiribati Government to increase produc- the coconut sector and industry in opened its rich Pacific hospitality tion, invite investment and Kiribati. promote value added products of to the delegates and observers Session/Ministerial Meeting from member countries and coconut. He explained that turned the APCC Session into an increase in income in the coconut Hon. Atarake Nataara, Minister event, whose memories will last sector will provide livelihood of Commerce, Industry and forever in the minds of all who security and communities and Cooperatives and Hon. Alexander participated. Official Opening Ceremony

The inaugural program was graced by the presence of the Honorable President of Kiribati His Excellency Taneti Maamau who inaugurated the Session in the presence of the visiting Ministers, dignitaries and plenipotentiary delegates from the member countries. Hon. Atarake Nataara, Minister of Commerce, Industry and Cooperatives and Hon. Alexander Teabo, Minister of Environment, Lands and Hon. Atarake Nataara (Left), Minister, Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Coopera- Agricultural Development from tives, Kiribarti and APCC Chairman Chairing the Proceedings of the Session accompanied by Mr. Uron Salum, APCC Executive Director.

26 COCOINFO INTERNATIONAL, VOL. 24, No. 2, 2017 Teabo, Minister of Environment, Lands and Agricultural Development from the Government of Kiribati chaired the proceedings of the Session. The Session started with the Ministerial Meeting on two specific agenda items which was followed by the presentation and discussions on the other Session Agenda items. Historic Decision for the Community to go International The House of Parliament in Tarawa witnessed the coconut community unanimously decide to move into an international organisation. The decision to Signing the Tarawa Accord by the Delegates upgrade the Asian and Pacific Coconut Community from a in priority clinical research to by the sector and the suggested regional intergovernmental establish beneficial effects of the road map for the way forward organisation to an international coconut products on human for the coconut sector. The organisation was taken by the health. The member countries country papers helped in Plenipotentiary Delegates from also committed to aggressively understanding the developmental the member countries. The promote and affirm the healthy work undertaken by countries and proposal for APCC to go status of coconut products in identify the replicable models for international was presented by international fora, specifically the customised implementation in the Government of India during WHO and FAO. The countries other countries. They helped in the 51st APCC Session in India further committed to ensure the exchange of ideas and technology in 2015 which was further highest level of quality in coconut and paved the way for possible discussed by member countries in products. collaborations between member the succeeding APCC Session in countries. Developmental activit- Jakarta in 2016. Following the Country Papers – Avenue for ies in the coconut sector in big unanimous endorsement of the sharing and cross fertilisation producing countries like India, decision to go international, the of ideas Indonesia, Philippines and Plenipotentiary delegates signed a Country paper presentation by SriLanka provided insights for resolution on the decision which member countries gave a brief other member countries on the will be sent to the United Nations update on the policies and way ahead to ensure sustained for final endorsement of the programs for coconut develop- coconut sector development. international status. ment undertaken by the National Governments including the Collaboration for Capacity Tarawa Accord – Commitment Building and Skill Develop- to stand together legislations to promote the development of the sector. The ment The Kiribati Session also delegates presented the status of In the wake of the issue of witnessed the declaration of all coconut production, processing scarcity of skilled manpower member countries to stand and export in their countries. faced by all coconut growing together and proactively promote Updates on the coconut countries, the proposed project the healthy status of edible replanting, new planting and for International Certificate products of coconut. The Tarawa rehabilitation programs implemen Course on Coconut Plantation Accord was signed by the -ted were presented. The status of Management offered by the delegates which declared the the research and development Coconut Research Institute was commitment of all member activities in the research welcomed and endorsed by the countries to affirm, support and institutions and the policies and Session for execution with a effectively promote the health programs implemented in the formal MOU signed between and nutritional attributes of country to enhance farm APCC and CRI. The Session also coconut products. The member productivity and increase the fully endorsed the proposal of the countries committed to undertake farmer’s income were also shared Secretariat to share the cost of policy decisions and programs to with the member country training for the first batch of promote the health attributes of delegates. The delegates further trainees with a view to encourage coconut products and collaborate briefed on the constraints faced

27 COCOINFO INTERNATIONAL, VOL. 24, No. 2, 2017 A View of the Plenary Session capacity building. Skilled COGENT also informed the 2019 manpower will increase the Session that a decision on the efficiency of plantation manage- operationalization of COGENT The Session decided to ment and processing. would be taken in the Steering commemorate the 50th Anni- Committee of COGENT versary of APCC and the launch Collaboration for Biosecurity scheduled for 31st October to 4th of the International Coconut Planning November 2017. The Session Community in Philippines in The concept and need for also advised APCC Secretariat to 2019 biosecurity planning in the wake conclude the proposed MOU with of climate change and the Bioversity International and Additional Programs and increasing incidence of pests and CIRAD on technical cooperation. Forums diseases was presented by Dr. A. Sivapragasam who is the Collaboration with CICY The Session approved the 3 Regional Director, CABI South (Centro de Investigaci’on additional programs proposed by East Asia Regional Centre. The Cienti’fica de Yucatan) for the APCC Secretariat: project proposal for “A Regional Research Collaboration and International Coconut Tissue Approach to Biosecurity for Technology Transfer Culture Forum, Interna-tional Coconut protection in the Asia Coconut IPM Network and the Pacific Region” was endorsed by Taking into consideration the International Coconut Oil Forum. the Session to be jointly urgent need for rejuvenation of It was also decided to organise undertaken by APCC and CABI senile gardens and rapid International Sympo-sium on after execution of MOU with multiplication methods for Coconut Tissue Culture (every 2- CABI. The Session also advised production of quality planting 3 years); International for APCC and CABI to jointly material and based on the recom- Symposium on Coconut IPM seek donor funding for the mendations of the International (every 2-3 years); and the project. symposium on coconut Tissue International Conference on Culture, the Session endorsed the Coconut Oil (every 2 years). The Collaboration between APCC MOU signed between CICY and Session also advised the and Bioversity International in APCC and recommended for Secretariat to pursue cohosting relation to the International APCC facilitation for one-on-one arrangements with FAO, APCC Coconut Genetic Resources dialogue between CICY and the member countries and member Network (COGENT) interested APCC countries, res- country institutions as well as pective institutions, industry and industry and private sector The Session also endorsed the private sector organizations. Dr. stakeholders. support for the proposed Carlos Oropeza presented the collaboration between APCC and work on somatic embryogenesis APCC COCOTECH Confe- Bioversity International for undertaken by CICY to the rence COGENT Coor-dination taking Session. into consideration the importance The Session endorsed the Report and Recommendations of the for conservation, preservation 50th Anniversary and Golden 47th APCC COCOTECH and utilization of germplasm. Dr. Jubilee of APCC in September Lalith Perera, Chairman of Conference and further approved

28 COCOINFO INTERNATIONAL, VOL. 24, No. 2, 2017 Observer Organization Representatives (From Left to Right), Mrs. Karen Mapusua—Pacific Community, Mr. Sakiusa Tubuna—IFAD, Dr. Carlos M. Oropeza Salin—CICY, Dr. Cyril Robertsa—CARDI, Dr. Siva Pragasam—CABI, and Mr. Henry Sanday—MSG.

The following theme “Sustain- tion and processing, product Suva, Fiji presented the activities able Coconut Development diversification and promotion of on behalf of IFAD, a membership through Climate Smart Agricul- small and medium enterprises); organization in which 13 island ture” for the 48th APCC and establishing and stepping up countries and Papua New Guinea COCOTECH Conference. engagements with regional and are currently members. He briefly international development part- presented the Mission and Goal Observer Statement form ners to maximize the economic of IFAD and the mechanism of Government of Tuvalu and social benefits of the country functioning through grants, loans, from the coconut industry. project/program support, Hon. Puakena Boreham Pasuna, Getting membership of APCC financing agreements, technical Minister for Natural Resources, was part of this initiative. assistance and supervision and Government of Tuvalu presented implementation support. He a brief on the coconut sector in Pacific Community (SPC) explained the indicative funding Tuvalu and their interest in during the period 2013-18, the becoming a member of APCC. Mrs. Karen Mapusua, Team key success factors and the Tuvalu, an island nation of 9 Leader, Coconut Industry lessons learned. IFAD has coral islands with total land mass Development for the Pacific supported coconut sector of 26 square kilometres and a (CIDP) Programme, on behalf of development in Fiji in through population of 11,097, has about SPC detailed on the 4 million the coconut sugar and virgin oil 38% of its land mass covered Euro EU ACP programme cover- in Cicia, the Tonga Rural with forest, constituted mainly ing 14 Pacific ACP states and Innovation Project (TRIP), the with coconut palms. Copra was Timor Leste. She explained the Kiribati Outer Island Food and the only export commodity and main results of CIDP and the pi- Water Project, Rural the other major domestic lot sector projects in Samoa. She Development Project in Solomon products from coconut included also briefed on the Darwin Initia- Islands and the Samoan Value coconut oil, handicrafts, building tive Project on the Upgrading and Chain Study. The potential areas materials, food, drink, alcohol strengthening of the new South of IFAD involvement include etc. The country faces a lot of Pacific International Coconut partnership with other partners, challenges like lack of data, lack Gene bank, the initiatives in co- work with other partners of commitment at all levels of the conut rhinoceros beetle manage- addressing value chain industry, limited resources, ment, ACIAR supported embryo constraints, addressing scarcity of land, isolation to main culture trainings and the stake- productivity and leveraging more markets and the crisis due to holder’s workshops. She stated funding ie Green Climate Fund climate change and non- that SPC looks forward to work- (GCF). The targeted areas are communicable diseases. The ing with APCC through the notably the Northern Pacific developmental aspirations for the proposed MOU to better respond which includes Republic of coconut sector concentrates on to the needs of the Pacific islands. Marshall Islands, Palau, the development and revival of Federated States of Micronesia, the coconut industry through the International Fund for Tuvalu and Kiribati. establishment of a good and Agricultural Development sound database; develop a (IFAD) Melanesian Spearhead Group Coconut Development Policy (MSG) (encompassing replanting initia- Mr. Sakiusa Tubuna, Sub tives, improved varieties, Regional Coordinator, IFAD, Mr. Henry Sanday, Trade and improved technology in cultiva- Investment Advisor presented the

29 COCOINFO INTERNATIONAL, VOL. 24, No. 2, 2017 activities of MSG, a Melanesian Sub Regional Inter Governmental organization established in 1988 with Fiji, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Vanuatu and FLNKS of New Caledonia as members and Indonesia as associate member. He explained the MSG 2038 Prosperity for all Plan working towards political stability, economic prosperity, social equity and inclusivity and sustainable development. The MSG Trade Agreement(MSGTA), Melanesian Free Trade Agreement (MFTA) and the MSG Private Sector Development Strategy (PSDS) with priority on rural/ informal economies, inclusivity and climate resilience are aimed at economic prosperity. Field Visit to Kiribati Coconut Development Limited

Coconut currently does not feature Dr. Cyril Roberts, Biotechnologist Development Limited (KCDL) in MSG work, but is included in from CARDI, Trinidad & Tobago which manufactures coconut oil, the MSGTA/MFTA, MSG PSDS gave a brief presentation on the virgin coconut oil and soaps, and the MSG Market Intelligence Coconut industry development for Kiribati Fish Limited (KFL), Study. Mr. Sanday gave examples the Caribbean, executed by ITC Umwanibong National Cultural of case studies with the Solomon’s under contract with EU and Centre and Museum, Agriculture Islands women at work, Trading in CARDI being the regional and Livestock Division Vegetable Vanuatu through cooperatives, implementing partner under Project with Taiwan support and Value addition for exports through Agreement with ITC. He explained the Agricultural Nursery Yard. the health and beauty products and the background of the project , the The delegates also had interactions the tourism enterprise in Fiji and needs of stakeholders, issues to be with the officials of the Agriculture the coconut product diversification addressed in the project, objectives and livestock Division , industry in Papua New Guinea. He of the project and the result of the and private sector. expressed the project. The project aims at desire to enhance MSG-APCC improvement in business capacity, Stakeholder Discussion linkages and work for better coconut production/productivity, quality, market opportunities and The Hon. Ministers and the senior collaboration. officials of the Ministry of risk management for small scale and artisanal enterprises. Commerce, Industry and Caribbean Community Cooperatives and Ministry of (CARICOM) and Caribbean Field Visit in Tarawa Environment, Lands and Agricultural Research & Agricultural Development of the Development Institute (CARDI) The delegates were taken on a field Government of Kiribati had side visit to the Kiribati Coconut meetings with the Plenipotentiary Delegates and officials from the major coconut growing countries of India, Philippines and Sri Lanka facilitated by APCC. Discussions were held on possible collaborations with the countries in coconut breeding, organic cultivation, intercrop-ping, husk and coir processing and utilisation of coir pith etc. The big countries offered their support and cooperation in technical assistance for developing the coconut sector in Kiribati.

1Assistant Director of Asian and Senior Official Meeting Pacific Coconut Community.

COCOINFO INTERNATIONAL, VOL. 24, No. 2, 2017 30 APCC TARAWA ACCORD 2017

Asian and Pacific Coconut Community TARAWA ACCORD Promote the Health and Nutritional Attributes of Coconut Products

We, the Ministers and the Plenipotentiary Delegates of the 53rd APCC Session/ Ministerial Meeting representing the member countries of the Asian and Pacific Coconut Community namely; The Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, India, Indonesia, Kiribati, Malaysia, Marshall Islands, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Tonga, Vanuatu and Vietnam and the associated members of Jamaica and Kenya; Established in 1969 under the auspices of the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UN-ESCAP) as the first intergovernmental commodity-based organisation for Coconut; Occupying 12 million hectares of land area under coconut, with an annual production of 10 million MT in copra equivalent accounting for 85% of the world coconut production that directly affects the socio-economic lives of more than 150 million of the world’s men, women and children; and  Recognizing that the Coconut is grown in over 90 countries and is endowed with multifaceted health and nutritional attributes making it highly beneficial for human consumption to achieve overall health, nourishment and wellness for people.

 Recognizing that many people in the world lack this important knowledge, therefore the urgency to effectively inform, educate, promote and conduct continuous awareness of the health and nutritional benefits of Coconut, Coconut Oil and other healthy products of coconut.

 Recognizing that there is need for further conclusive studies that would provide uncontestible scientific evidence as absolute proof of the health and nutritional benefits of Coconut, Coconut Oil and other healthy products of coconut to assure consumers and effectively counter the negative propaganda of all opposition to Coconut and its products.

COCOINFO INTERNATIONAL, VOL. 24, No. 2, 2017 31 APCC TARAWA ACCORD 2017

WE HEREBY DECLARE TO AFFIRM, SUPPORT AND EFFECTIVELY PROMOTE THE HEALTH AND NUTRITIONAL BENEFITS OF COCONUT, COCONUT OIL AND ALL HEALTHY PRODUCTS OF COCONUT AND THEIR USES WITHIN OUR RESPECTIVE COUNTRIES AND INTERNATIONALLY. Pursuant to this Declaration, we commit, with emphasis, to:

 Undertake within relevant national policies and programs to effectively create awareness and promote the health and nutritional attributes with uses of Coconut, Coconut Oil and all healthy products of Coconut.

 Undertake within the respective national capacity to conduct priority clinical research in-country and to participate in and collaborate with international study projects relating to the uses of Coconut, Coconut Oil and other products of Coconut and its effect on human health and nourishment.

 Ensure that member countries who are state members of the United Nations and its related organizations, specifically the WHO and FAO; to maximize opportunities during assemblies, gatherings and international fora to aggressively promote, make official statements, country presentations; and

 through the respective diplomatic missions and envoys endeavor to affirm, pronounce and promote the healthy status of Coconut, Coconut Oil and all healthy products of Coconut; and to raise serious objections, in the strongest possible terms, against the negative propaganda by opposing interest groups against the healthy status of coconut products.

 Ensure that the highest level of quality standards are observed and adhered to at all times in the processing of food grade products of coconut and other healthy products to meet full consumer acceptance. The member countries hereby commit to initiate such programs or actions consistent with their government policies to implement this Declaration.

COCOINFO INTERNATIONAL, VOL. 24, No. 2, 2017 32 APCC TARAWA ACCORD 2017

Signed under the hand of the Ministers and the Plenipotentiary Delegates at the 53rd APCC Session/Ministerial Meeting held in the Parliament House at Tarawa, the capital of the Republic of Kiribati on Tuesday, 24th October 2017.

COCOINFO INTERNATIONAL, VOL. 24, No. 2, 2017 33 APCC TARAWA ACCORD 2017

34 COCOINFO INTERNATIONAL, VOL. 24, No. 2, 2017

TALES OF COCONUT COUNTRIES AND ISLANDS AROUND THE WORLD M. Shareefa, Regi J. Thomas, A. Josepthrajkumar1

he coconut palm (Cocos nucifera Linn) is a member of the family Arecaceae and is of Tgreat social and economic importance for millions of people in the tropics and subtropics. The palm not only supplies food, drink, shelter, but also provides raw materials for a number of important industries. Each part of the coconut palm is useful to man in one way or another. Therefore the palm is looked upon with reverence and affec- tion by the inhabitants of the coconut producing countries. Coco- nut tree is given eulogistic epi- thets such as ‘Kalpa vriksha’ (Tree of heaven), the con- sols of the East, mankind’s great- est provider in the tropics, tree of Kerala, India life, tree of abundance, tree of plenty etc. (Mongolian), tengai in Tamil and ture in the local cuisine of the nalikeram / Thengu in state. Coconut trees form a cru- The name Cocos probably de- malayalam. cial part of the lifestyle, economy rives from a Portuguese word and geography of Kerala. Coco- meaning monkey, perhaps be- Certain places even countries are nut trees in Kerala contribute a cause its nut, bearing three ger- known by coconut because of lot to overall economy in India. minating pores, resembles a coconut cultivation or due to ex- monkey face. Its species name istence of coconut palms in these Anju thengu derives from Latin, meaning nut- regions. bearing. In the earliest recorded Anchuthengu, formerly known as description of the coconut palm, Kerala Anjengo, is a coastal town near given by Cosmos of Alexan- Kadakkavoor in Thiruvanan- The word 'Keralam' is derived thapuram District of Kerala. This dria in his Topographia Christi- from the Sanskrit word 'Kera' ana written during 545 A.D., old Portuguese settlement lies which means coconut and the between Kollam and Thiru- there is a reference to the ‘Argell Dravidian word 'Alam' which Tree’ and its fruit the great nut of vananthapuram. Literally the means place or land. A popular word ‘Anjuthengu’ means 'five India. Marco Polo gave the belief about coconut is that it name, nux indica, in 1280 when coconut palms.’ The whole land represents Deva vriksha or ‘tree is cultivated with coconut trees. he was in Sumartra. of heaven’ brought down by The place possesses great ar- Later, the Arabs called the coco- Lord Parasurama for the prosper- cheological and historical impor- nut ‘jawz hindī’. Both names ity of the people of Malabar tance. In 17th century, the Eng- translate to “Indian nut” and Coast. This strip of land is lish East India Company selected when they arrived in England, known as Kerala which literally Anjengo to set up their first trade they retained the “coco” name means the land of coconut. settlement in Kerala. Queen of and “nut” was added. Almost all In Kerala approximately 3.5 mil- Attingal granted the place to the names of coconut in Indian lan- lion family’s livelihood is coco- British for trading. They estab- guages are related, e. g., nariyal nut. Coconut is an integral part lished a factory and a fort here (Hindi), nariyel (Urdu), narial of the Kerala culture. From food with the permission of the queen. (Punjabi), nariyel (Gujarati), na- to religious ceremonies, the co- Many ancient churches, an old ral (Marathi), narokel (Bengali), conut finds its mention in every light house, a 100 year old con- narikelamu (Telugu), also nargil place in the state. They also fea- vent and school, tombs of Dutch

35 COCOINFO INTERNATIONAL, VOL. 24, No. 2, 2017 and British and the Anjengo Fort are the major points of attraction here. The churches are built in accordance with the principles of the Portuguese architectural style. The fort played an important role in the war of Mysore in 18th century. Ayiram thengu Ayiram thengu is coastal area located in Kollam district of Ker- ala. The meaning of “Ayiram thengu” in Malayalam is thousand coconut palms. Thengapattinam Thengapattinam is a beautiful town located on the shores of Coconut Island (Hawaii Island) Arabian Sea in the southern part of Kanyakumari district in Tamil isted with the Middle East and Coconut Island (Hawaii Island) Nadu. Thengapattanam is sur- the Arab world. Coconut Island (Mokuola) is little rounded by natural boundaries on Chilappathikaram, the Tamil epic island is located in Hilo Bay and all sides - the Arabian Sea, the refers thengapattanam as the can be accessed from Liliuo- Kuzhithurai River and a Moun- capital of “thenga nadu” – one of kalani Gardens via a pedestrian tain ridge. And then, there is the the 48 countries of lemuria, oth- footbridge. Its Hawaiian name is star attraction, the estuary, where erwise known as ‘kumari kan- Mokuola (meaning “island of the river joins the sea.Coconut dam’, where the Dravidian civili- life” or “healing”) since it was trees are found abundant here, zations (known as the ‘cradle of site of an ancient temple dedi- and the place gets its name from civilizations’) flourished. The cated to healing, but today it is coconut trees. 'Thenga' means world renowned historical re- more commonly known as Coco- coconut in Tamil and 'Patanam' search traveler ‘dalami’ refers nut Island. The island is owned means town. Thengapattanam - as this place as a ‘harbour town’ in by the state and is the facility for the name suggests, is replete with his book written in AD 100. It is the Hawaii Institute of Marine coconut trees, was an important believed that Karunan Thadangal, Biology, part of the University of town during the days of Chera the king of ‘thenga nadu’ ruled Hawaii. It is the only laboratory Kings, when trade relations ex from Thengapattanam. built on a coral reef. Coconut Island (Poruma Is- land) Coconut Island (Poruma Island, Puruma in the local language) is an island 130km northeast of Thursday Island, Queensland, Australia in the Great North East Channel near Cumberland Pas- sage, Torres Strait. This island is one of the Torres Strait Islands. The population of the island is about 180 inhabitants. The ances- tors of Coconut Island built their houses out of grass, coconut leaves and trees that floated down from the Fly River jungles of Papua New Guinea. East Side (Coconut Coast), Kauai Kauai's East Side is sometimes Tengapattinam (Tamilnadu) referred to as the Coconut Coast for the groves of coconut palms

COCOINFO INTERNATIONAL, VOL. 24, No. 2, 2017 36 that grow in its resort areas. The most populated district on the island, about 16,000 of the island's 62,000 residents reside in the Wailua/Kapaa area. Coconut Grove Coconut Grove is the oldest con- tinuously inhabited neighborhood of Miami, Florida in Miami-Dade County, United States. The neighborhood is roughly bound by North Prospect Drive to the south, LeJeune Road to the west, South Dixie Highway and Rick- enbacker Causeway to the north, and Biscayne Bay to the east. The neighborhood's name has been sometimes spelled "Cocoanut Grove" but the definitive spelling Cocos Island "Coconut Grove" was established when the city was incorporated in the developers, named Coconut Cocos Island 1919.The fate of Coconut Grove, Creek after combining the names which is today home to Miami's of Miami-Dade County's village Cocos Island (Spanish: Isla del City Hall, was largely linked to of Indian Creek and the Miami Coco) is an uninhabited island the U.S. Navy, Coast Guard and neighborhood of Coconut Grove. (except for a permanent ranger Pan American World Airways. The city is a well-planned com- station) located off the shore of Coconut Creek munity with a unique environ- Costa Rica. It is one of 13 dis- mental consciousness touting an tricts of Puntarenas Canton of the Coconut Creek is a city in Bro- abundance of trees, waterways, ward County, Florida (United province of Puntarenas. It is one attractive landscaped roads, beau- of the National Parks of Costa States), nestled between Miami- tiful parks, and butterfly gardens Dade and Palm Beach counties. It Rica. It is located in the Pacific throughout the neighborhoods. Ocean, approximately 550 km is nicknamed Butterfly Capital of This is due to the city’s progres- the World, because it is home to sive planning approach to creat- from the Pacific shore of Costa the world's largest butterfly avi- ing a unique life-style for resi- Rica. With an area of approxi- ary, Butterfly World, with over dents and businesses. Coconut mately 23.85 km² and a perimeter 80 species and 5,000 individual Creek is the first in the state of of around 23.3 km, this island is butterflies. The city took its name Florida and eleventh in the coun- more or less rectangular in shape. from the coconut trees that were try to be certified as a Cocos Island was declared a planted in the area by early devel- "Community Wildlife Habitat". opers. Robert E. Bateman, one of Costa Rican National Park by means of Executive Decree in 1978. Cocos Island National Park was designated a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1997. In 2002, the World Heritage Site designation was extended to include an expanded marine zone of 1,997 km². In addition, it is included in the list of "Wetlands of International Importance". Cocos Island was short-listed as a candidate to be one of the New Seven Wonders of Nature by the New Seven Wonders of the World Foundation. As of June 2009, it is ranking second in the Coconut Groove islands category. The famous

37 COCOINFO INTERNATIONAL, VOL. 24, No. 2, 2017 oceanographer Jacques Cousteau visited the island several times and in 1994 called it "the most beautiful island in the world". Cocos Island is home to dense and exuberant tropical moist forests. It is the only oceanic island in the eastern Pacific region with such rain forests and their charac- teristic types of flora and fauna. Purple Coral Tree (Erythrina fusca), Coconut Palm (Cocos nucifera), and Pond-apple (Annona glabra) are the predomi- nant trees, with an understory of ferns, shrubs of the Rubiaceae and Solanaceae families, sedges and grasses, and herbaceous plants of the Leguminosae and Malvaceae families. Coconut Keeling Island

The general vegetation of Cocos almost exactly the opposite side The Coco Islands consist of the Island has greatly changed since of the globe from Cocos Island, main Great Coco Island and the the island was first named and Costa Rica. smaller Little Coco Island, sepa- described by Europeans. Captain rated by the Alexandra Channel. Wafer, during his visit in 1685 The territory consists of two Table Island, a third small island described the extensive coconut atolls and 27 coral islands, of located near the Great Coco Is- groves extending inland into the which two, West Island and land, previously housed a light- interior of the island. It is very Home Island, are inhabited with a house but is presently uninhabited. unlikely that these groves devel- total population of approximately They are located on an ancient oped naturally, and it seems evi- 600. The Cocos (Keeling) Islands trade route between India, Burma dent that pre-European man must consist of two flat, low-lying and Southeast Asia, and there once have cleared considerable coral atolls with an area of 14.2 were numerous visits by traders, areas in the ravine bottoms and square kilometres, 26 kilometres seafarers and pirates. In 1858, a interior plateaus and ridges, util- of coastline, a highest elevation large prison was built at Port Blair izing the clearings for coconut of 5 metres (16 ft) and thickly on South Andaman Island, mainly plantations of substantial extent. covered with coconut palms and to house the thousands of It has been posited that these other vegetation. The climate is ‘mutineers’ sent there after the plantations were used to provide pleasant, moderated by the south- 1857 Indian rebellion, and the fresh liquid and food for pre- east trade winds for about nine Coco Islands were used as a Columbian voyages (balsa rafts months of the year and with mod- source of food for the struggling using guara navigation) between erate rainfall. penal colony, mainly by providing Guatemala and northwestern coconuts. South America. After the Spanish Coco Islands conquest and its consequences, There are several myths and be- these voyages ended and the Coco Islands are a pair of strategi- liefs on coconut indicating the im- tropical jungle recovered the land cally important islands located in portance of coconut in everyday that had been laboriously cleared the eastern Indian Ocean, politi- life. Even, until the early 1900's, a by early human hands. cally administered by Union of whole coconut was the accepted Myanmar under Yangon Region. form of currency in the Nicobar Cocos (Keeling) Islands They are allegedly leased to the Islands, just north of Sumatra in People's Republic of China since the Indian Ocean. In the South The Territory of the Cocos 1994. Geographically, they are a Pacific, pieces of coconut shell carved into coin-like spheres (Keeling) Islands, also called Co- part of the Andaman Islands archi- pelago and separated from the served as currency. There is a say- cos Islands and Keeling Islands, ing that “There are as many uses is a territory of Australia, located North Andaman Island (India) by the 20 kilometres wide Coco for the coconut as there are days in in the Indian Ocean, southwest of the year." Christmas Island and approxi- Channel. The Bay of Bengal lies mately midway between Austra- to the west and the Andaman Sea 1The authors are senior scientists lia and Sri Lanka. Cocos to the east of the islands. The Bur- at the Central Plantation Crops (Keeling) Island is located on mese mainland is 300 kilometres Research Institute, Kasaragod, to the north. Kerala, India

COCOINFO INTERNATIONAL, VOL. 24, No. 2, 2017 38 Face-to-Face Interview

An Interview with Mr. Kieatisak Theppandungporn, Managing Director of Theppandungporn Coconut Co Ltd. (TCC), Thailand by Muhartoyo1 and Wilaiwan Twishsri2

Mr. Kieatisak Theppandungporn is Managing Director of Theppandungporn Coconut Co Ltd. (TCC), the the leading Thai global manufacturer and exporter of edible coconut products. Mr. Muhartoyo, Managing Editor of Cocoinfo International and Mrs. Wilaian Twishsri, Senior Scien- tist at Thailand Horticultural Research Institute had an opportunity to interview Mr. Aphisak Theppadungporn, below is the excerpt of the interview .

Cocoinfo International (CI): Mr. Theppandungporn, your company, TCC, is currently Thai global manufacturer and exporter of coconut products, could you inform us briefly about the history of your company?

The present growth of Theppa- dungporn Coconut Co., Ltd. in the food processing industry began over 50 years ago in 1946 when Mr. Ampol and Mrs. Jiraporn Theppadungporn, an orchard farmer couple in Thon- buri, decided to enter the coconut business by retail and wholesale coconut. After the 2nd World War, the couple expanded their first business premise that was a two shop-house building at Si Yaek Mahanak by the Padung Krung Kasem canal to a new location on Maharaj Road close to Dehusked coconuts ready for processing Chao Phraya river. This new establishment was named “Udom from the Board of Investment of 1976. The factory is known Coconut Limited Partnership”. Thailand (BOI) on Phutta- among our customers and clients After his long-term experiences in monthon 4 Road, Sampran, Nak- as “Chaokoh factory”. this agricultural business, Mr. hon Pathom on the area of 28 rai. “Chaokoh” means “Islander” Ampol Theppadungporn realized Ready-to-use pasteurized and which intentionally implies for a that agro-industry especially food sterilized coconut milk packed in resident of Samui Island in the processing would be the needs of plastic bags and tin can, as well south of Thailand that has long the country and the world in fu- as coconut milk powder were time known as the main coconut ture. And this was the beginning among the very first products of grower in the country. of our “Theppadungporn Coco- the company. “Chaokoh” is therefore used as nut Co., Ltd.” the brand name mainly for all of (CI): How many of factories are our products that are related to The present “Theppadungporn operating under Theppandung- coconut.The factory also pro- Coconut Company Limited porn Group and what are their duces canned fruits and vegeta- (TCC)” began in 1976, as Udom product lines? bles products under the brand Coconut Ltd. Part. Transformed names of “Chaokoh” and her business from selling agricul- Currently three factories are op- “Yoddoi”. “Yoddoi” means top tural produces into food process- erating under Theppandungporn of the mountain which implies the ing by establishing a food proc- Group. The first factory is mountainous area in the north of essing plant with the support Chaokoh Factory founded in

39 COCOINFO INTERNATIONAL, VOL. 24, No. 2, 2017 Some Chaokoh’s Coconut Products during Agricultural Produce Exhibition in Bangkok Thailand where good quality man, Mr. Kukrit Pramote. Mae We import a lot of raw materi- fruits and vegetables are grown. Ploy was a Thai lady who had als from Indonesia as well as been well trained for the house- from Vietnam and Myanmar. Ampol Food Processing factory wife duties from the Royal Court (APF) is 2nd factory of the Thep- of King Rama V. For Thais, CI: Does the raw material padungporn Group which was “Mae Ploy” represented authen- founded in 1986 as a result of ticity and uniqueness of a Thai availability match with pro- Theppadungporn Group's rapid family lady who tried to conserve duction capacity? growth and demand for venturing our good Thai cultures during the in new businesses based on farm westernization period. “Mae For VCO, currently we pro- produces. The factory that was Ploy” is therefore used as a duce only 1/5 of the installed named after the founder of Thep- brand name for our Thai and ori- capacity. For coconut milk, we padungporn Group. The product ental style chili paste, sauces, continue to import raw materi- lines of Ampol Food includes: curries and condiments, which als because domestic supply is UHT coconut milk in retail size, are produced at this factory. The not enough. It is good to know Frozen and Chilled fruits and brand “Mae Ploy” is also used that the government has vegetables, UHT beverages, for canned coconut milk that con- started to encourage people Cupped desserts, and Health tains 20% fat that is suitable for Products. preparing Thai-style curries, for new planting and replant- which is produced at the ing coconuts, we hope the co- The Mae Ploy factory is the 3rd Chaokoh factory. conut production would in- factory in the Theppadungporn crease in 8-10 years. Group, “Mae Ploy” is the name CI: Where do you source of the leading character in the your raw material? CI: Do you have any prob- Thai famous novel written by one lem in sourcing raw materi- of the Thai most famous noble als?

COCOINFO INTERNATIONAL, VOL. 24, No. 2, 2017 40 brands.

CI: How you do the market for VCO?

We are lucky since we have loyal customers who trust in our product quality. It probably paves the way for our VCO market. We also provides en- couragement to our customers who are still reluctant in consuming VCO by providing the cook book with coconut-based recipes so they can easily follow prepare their foods using our products e.g. how to prepare salad dressing using VCO.

CI: Participating in Interna- tional trade fairs is one of Chaokoh Virgin Coconut Oil marketing strategy?

Since the insect pest outbreak, minimize processing cost when Yes it is. This is our opportu- importing coconut is strictly we also produce virgin coco- nity to showcase our products checked by the Plant Quaran- nut oil (VCO). Our experience and meet buyers. Through this tine Act authority to make sure proves that we got the great event we can introduce our that it is in compliance with profit although we sold it with new product as well as get or- the existing quarantine proto- the same price as other VCO der in advance. col and standard. This year we had unexpected experience when one of our ships was de- nied from unloading its coconuts because of the slight change in quarantine protocol that we were not aware of. At that time it took us way longer to have custom clearance for our imported coconuts. Having gone through this incident, we realized that we should always make ourselves updated and understand the government announcement and protocol.

CI: Which product is the main profit generator?

Coconut milk is the main source of profits because we produce and export a lot of coconut milk in various forms and packaging. However, based on our daily coconut milk processing we found that we will gain more profit and

41 COCOINFO INTERNATIONAL, VOL. 24, No. 2, 2017 Chaokoh’s Nata de Coco in Syrup CI: Could you share some of marketing? Could you let us trials will make coconut stake- experiences in which people be- know your export markets? holders have stronger scientific come impressed with your prod- evidence-based claims for the ucts? With many health benefits of VCO health benefits of coconut products. we found that the shelf positioning I tell you 3 cases of our VCO cus- was not clear whether it should be (CI): In order the food products tomers. The first one is the mother placed in cosmetic shelf, medicinal to be widely accepted in the of a Managing Director of a com- shelf or cooking material shelf. global market, they must be pany in Japan, who suffered from This has made our customers con- processed following quality Alzheimer. After consuming VCO fused. We think VCO should be standards. What quality for sometimes, she could touch and packed in different type of packag- standards are applied to your press her son's arm. Afterward the ing. Our oversea markets are factories? Managing Director always tells his Europe, USA and Australia. staff members and his colleagues That’s true, therefore Theppand- about the benefits of coconut oil. CI: Recently American Heart ungporn has secured many food The second one in Korea, a Man- Association (AHA) released standard certificates such as Halal, aging Director puts a bottle of Presidential Advisory on Lower- ISO 14001, ISO 9001, ISO 50001, VCO on his desk. He usually opens ing Saturated Fat intake which GMP, TLS 8001-2010, CARBON and lets people test the VCO. After discredits Coconut oil. Do you FOOTPRINT, HACCP, Green In- 4 years, he found the quality of the think coconut processing indus- dustry, BRC. These certificate con- VCO was still good. So our VCO tries can provide financial sup- firm our commitment to produce exported to Korea, is now guaran- port to the clinical trial to get quality products which are accept- teed to have shelf-life of 3 years. more convincing evidence to able to the global community. Third, one of my friends is an ath- counter negative campaign (CI): Thank you very much Mr. letic athlete. He applies VCO for against coconut products, especially coconut oil? Mr. Kieatisak Theppadungporn his narrow legs corner after run. for sharing about your coconut He told me that it has a good effect Certainly. But not only our com- processing industry with our as it makes him never have red skin valued readers. We wish you again. He then shares his experi- pany, association or group of edible coconut industries, and medical every success in your coconut ence on using VCO to other sport business and that your company players and runners. practitioners should also make becomes more productive and concerted efforts to support clini- profitable in years to come. CI : Is there any obstacle in VCO cal trials. The successful clinical

COCOINFO INTERNATIONAL, VOL. 24, No. 2, 2017 42 REPLICABLE MODELS FOR SUSTAINED COCONUT DEVELOPMENT Deepthi Nair1

he policies and programs region of India comprising of the production and productivity could for sustainable four states of Kerala, Tamil be enumerated as follows : T development of coconut Nadu, Karnataka, and Andhra Strong Research Base implemented by the National Pradesh accounted for 89 percent Governments in coconut growing of the coconut area and 91 Continuous crop improvement is countries have contributed to the percent of the coconut production vital for the development of any advances made in the sector, in the country. It is estimated that commodity and for this research especially during the last decade. there are 5 million coconut turns pivotal. India is blessed This has resulted in the holdings and 12 million farmers with a good network of emergence of coconut as a in the country covering 17 states organizations for conducting “Sunrise industry”. The policies and 3 Union Territories. The research in coconut viz., Indian and programs mostly concentrate crop contributes around US$ Council of Agricultural Research, on crop improvement through 3788 M to the country’s GDP and Central Plantation Crops productivity enhancement, earns export revenue of around Research Institute (CPCRI) promotion of processing and US$ 661 M. The country has which is the oldest coconut product diversification and finally around 15,000 coir based research institute with over 100 marketing and export promotion. industries which provides years of research experience; The annual APCC Sessions have employment to nearly 0.6 million International Coconut Gene Bank country presentations by the workers of which 80 per cent are for South Asia (ICG-SA) Plenipotentiary Delegates of women folk. established in 1998 with a rich member countries who give a collection of elite coconut brief update on the policies and As in most of the coconut germplasm; Central Coir programs for coconut sector growing countries, coconut is Research Institute for research on development; technology and predominantly a small holders coir; All India Coordinated statistics on coconut cultivation, crop in India with about 98% Research Project on Palms which processing and marketing; coconut holdings owned by small undertakes coconut research in challenges, opportunities and and marginal farmers. The different agroclimatic zones; and constraints faced; programs for various policies and programs for State Agricultural Universities replanting and rejuvenation; and coconut sector development has and State Research Centres doing the plan for the way forward. The been tailor made to serve the research on different aspects of country papers thus provide an small holder coconut farmers. crop husbandry and crop opportunity for cross fertilisation The major features of the coconut management. Research on of ideas and technology, creating sector in India which have coconut processing and awareness on successful contributed to the enhanced packaging is undertaken by replicable models and initiating the thought process for bilateral collaborations. This article is an attempt to take the readers for a journey through the programs and policies for sustained coconut sector development in India, Philippines and Indonesia.

INDIA

India stands first in production and productivity of coconut among APCC member countries. The production of coconut is to the tune of 22237.99 million nuts annually from an area of 2.096 million hectares. The productivity of coconut at national level for 2016-17 is 10,611 nuts per Central Plantation Crops ResearchInstitute in Kasaragod, Kerala, India hectare. The couthern peninsular

43 COCOINFO INTERNATIONAL, VOL. 24, No. 2, 2017 national institutes like Central Food Technological Research Institute, Indian Institute of Sciences, Indian Institute of Chemical Technology, National Institute of Nutrition, Defence Food Research Laboratory, Indian Institute of Packaging, Indian Institute of Petroleum and many state level research centres.

Germplasm conservation at CPCRI is to the tune of 398 accessions of coconut of which 266 are indigenous and 132 are exotic. A total of 36 high yielding coconut varieties have been released of which 16 are hybrids. Coconut Farmers Participating in a Coconut Extension Program

Strong Extension ion and productivity: The coconut into new areas, policies that have been especially non traditional India has two commodity Boards introduced in order to promote areas, is achieved through established under the farm productivity have been specialised schemes for area Government of India who take inclusive to ensure increase in expansion which provide the lead role in the sustained production and productivity. adequate technical and finan- development of the coconut cial support to farmers to take sector. Coconut Development a. Production and distribution of up coconut cultivation on Board (CDB) functioning under quality planting material is the scientific lines in potential the Ministry of Agriculture and most crucial step towards areas. Farmers Welfare and Coir Board development of a sustained c. Improvement in production and functioning under the Ministry of coconut sector. This is productivity through an inte- Micro, Small and Medium addressed through the establish grated approach is promoted Entreprises are mandated for the -ment of Demonstration cum thereby increasing the net conceptualisation, planning and Seed Production (DSP) Farms income from unit holdings. implementation of programs for in different parts of the country This is achieved through the the development of coconut and to create infrastructure facil- following schemes : Laying coir products. A concentrated ities for production of quality out of Demonstration Plots, commodity based approach for planting materials and establishing Organic Manure the development of the sector has demonstrate and educate the Units by providing incentives, made way for the efficient farmers and other stakeholders Scientific integrated manage- progress achieved in production on scientific coconut cultiva- ment practices including and marketing of coconut and tion and processing. The coconut based farming sys- coir products. India is the major Seedling Production Program tems and establishing farmer producer of coir and coir related is also strengthened through participatory demonstration products and has a strong position the establishment of Regional plots in farmer’s field. in the export market followed by Coconut Nurseries in Govern- Demonstration of technology Sri Lanka. ment sector, Nucleus Coconut in farmers field is found to Seed Garden and Coconut motivate farmers and increase Specific schemes for improving Nurseries in private sector. adoption of improved techno- coconut cultivation CDB has 10 DSP farms which logies for cultivation. Commu supply around 2 million -nity based approach for plant Specially packaged schemes are seedlings every year, apart protection has proved in place which are implemented from the seedlings supplied by effective in controlling and by CDB with specific objectives the central and state research managing pests and diseases for improving coconut cultivation institutes, state agricultural d. Scheme for replanting and and processing. Coir Board has universities and approved rejuvenation of traditional separate schemes for the nurseries which together may coconut gardens was initiated promotion of coir and related come up to 3.5 million in the major coconut growing products. seedlings. state of Kerala in 2009 b. Expansion of area under subsequent to the APCC PNG 1. Policies to enhance product- Declaration to accelerate re-

COCOINFO INTERNATIONAL, VOL. 24, No. 2, 2017 44 replanting programmes in Promotion : Market Research 3. Coconut Palm Insurance member countries. Kerala had the is undertaken through reputed Scheme (CPIS): Insurance longest history of coconut institutions on the supply coverage is extended to coconut cultivation and one third of palm demand situation of coconut crop, thereby providing risk population was old, senile and products, consumer accep- coverage to the farmers in case of gripped by a lethal disease called tance studies etc. CDB casualities due to climate, natural root wilt. The main objective of undertakes generic promotion calamities etc. Under the scheme the scheme was to enhance the of coconut products and all healthy bearing palms in the productivity and production of extends support to processing age group from 4 years to 60 coconut by removal of disease firms for brand promotion. years are eligible to get insurance advanced, old and senile palms, Participation in exhibitions coverage against natural perils replanting with quality seedlings and trade fairs is also leading to death / unproductive and rejuvenating the remaining supported. palms. In order to motivate the palms with proper management. farmers and to ensure that the Compensation was given to Technical and financial support system of insuring the crop is farmers for cutting and removal, (25% back end subsidy) extended undertaken, 50% of the insurance replanting and rejuvenation. The through TMOC has resulted in premium is borne by CDB and scheme which is still ongoing in the establishment of over 439 balance is shared between the Kerala was further extended to 8 processing units in the country State Government and farmers @ coconut growing states and 2 with a total annual installed 25% each. Insurance coverage union territories from 2015-16 capacity of 2.628 billion nuts and has also been extended to palm onwards. So far more than 3.5 thus increased the processing climbers. million palms have been cut and capacity of the sector in a large removed under the scheme and way. Inspite of recording the 4. Market Promotion and nearly 0.31 million ha were highest production and Statistics: The scheme includes rejuvenated. productivity of coconut, India market information and intelli- has a long way to go in the field gence services; collection and 2. Policies to promote techno- of processing and product documentation of statistical data logy development and demons- diversification of coconut on coconut production and tration: The Government of products in comparison to the marketing; and conduct of India had approved the scheme other major producers like surveys and evaluation studies. “Technology Mission On Coco- Philippines and Indonesia. Market promotion activities are nut“ (TMOC) to promote also undertaken and moderni- technology development, process The large scale consumption of sation of coconut processing -ing and product diversification coconut in the form of fresh through the introduction of in 2002. The major programmes coconut for daily use coupled improved copra dryers or proces- under TMOC include : with consumption of tender sing equipment is supported. coconut leaves less proportion of a. Development of technologies coconut for the processing 5. Export Promotion : CDB has for the management of insect industry. It is estimated by the also been designated as the pest and disease affected Board that 45% of the production Export Promotion Council for gardens and innovative is used as raw coconuts, 16% as promoting export of various technologies for processing tender coconut and the remaining products of coconut other than and product diversification. 39% goes in for production of coir since 2009. This has Clinical Studies to establish copra. Out of the raw coconuts, contributed to a perceptible the medicinal and nutrace- 70% goes for fresh domestic improvement in the export of utical propoerties of coconut consumption and 30% goes in as coconut products. There are products is also undertaken. raw material in the industry for around 2974 registered coconut All research projects are the production of desiccated exporters under the Board and sponsored through reputed coconut (50%), virgin coconut oil though India has a large domestic institutions in the specific area (10%), coconut milk/ cream consumer market, coconut and of technology development. (2%), frozen grated/ dry coconut major coconut products like b. Demonstration and promotion etc. Out of the copra produced, coconut oil, desiccated coconut, of these technologies for 23% is consumed directly for copra, coconut shell charcoal, adoption is undertaken. various edible purposes and 77% coir and coir products are Support is also extended to goes for milling copra used for exported to USA, UK, Canada, entrepreneurs and other stake- production of coconut oil which China, Germany, Japan, France, holders who are interested in is used as edible oil (40%), Netherlands, Brazil, Mexico, adoption of the technology toileteries (40%) and other varied Bangladesh, Nepal, Vietnam, and establish processing units uses. Hongkong, Indonesia, Malaysia, utilising the technology. Ireland, Mauritius, Sri Lanka, c. Market Research and Korea, Russia, Middle East

45 COCOINFO INTERNATIONAL, VOL. 24, No. 2, 2017 and also offered to be the host nation providing necessary land, infrastructure and facilities. It is proposed for the Centre to be developed as a hub of technology related to coconut cultivation and processing, repository of scientific studies on coconut undertaken across the globe, an institute for training and capacity building programs, facilitate research colla -boration and technology transfer between international institutes, knowledge centre on coconut germplasm and genetic resources etc.

F. Government Policies Related to Coconut Trade and Market

Domestic Market : Government of India extends a positive environment for the trade of Exhibition Booth of Coconut Development Board coconut products and also ensures remunerative price for countries like Iran, Saudi Arabia, mediate level and Coconut Pro- coconut and copra by declaring Qatar, UAE, Kuwait, Oman, and ducer Company (CPC) at apex Minimum Support Price (MSP) African Countries. The export level. A Coconut Producer Soci- for coconut and copra every year. values have increased from USD ety (CPS) consists of around 50 In the event of price fall below 261.73 million in 2009-10 to farmers and 5000 coconut palms MSP, Government intervenes in USD 661 million in 2016-17. The and 20 such societies form fed- the market and purchase the exporters are extended support erations and 10 Federations form copra at the pre-announced price through market information and a company. Thus a company through designated agencies, market intelligence; promotion of which is formed by 10,000 farm- thereby ensuring reasonable price participation in international trade ers will be producing around 80 to the coconut farmers. The fairs; organisation of seminars, million coconuts from their Government of India imple- conferences and buyer seller jurisdiction. The main role of the mented Goods and Services Tax meets; and providing professional Company is to establish proces- (GST) applied on various coconut advice on technology, quality sing unit for production of value products ranges from 0 to 28 % standards, product development, added products from coconut with the slabs of 5, 12 and 18% . packaging etc. procured from the member Coconut hookah and hair cream farmers. There are at present are the only two products attract 6. Information and Information 9463 CPS, 733 CPF and 67 CPCs the maximum of 28 % GST. Technology: Information on functioning in the country. The various aspects of coconut FPOs have emerged the epicentre Export and Import : Import tariff cultivation and industry is of activities having initiated is introduced to discourage disseminated through various decentralised quality seedling import and protect domestic media and publications. Skill production; production and industry. The Basic Customs Development training program- supply of agricultural inputs; Duty for various coconut pro- mes are also organised to impart community based adoption on ducts are in the range between 10 skill and knowledge to farmers, integrated nutrient management % and 150 % (only for coconut skill for palm climbers and neera and integrated pest management; milk powder and coconut water technicians, unemployed youth and production and marketing of powder). Coconut oil import and rural women in various fields value added products of coconut. draws an import duty of 12.5 % related to coconut cultivation and The FPOs are identified as and virgin coconut oil draws 20 processing. Participation in exhi- implementing agencies for va- %. Other vegetable edible oils bitions and fairs is undertaken to rious Government schemes and like soyabean oil, groundnut oil, promote coconut and its products. have been instrumental in ensu- olive oil, palm oil, mustard oil, ring that the farmer beneficiary is sunflower oil etc also attract D. Three Tier Farmer Producer the real end user of the different duties ranging from 12.5 % to 25 Organisations: CDB started a schemes of the Government. % on import. novel extension approach / strategy to organize farmers by for- E. International Centre of Challenges faced mation of three tier Farmer Pro- Excellence for Coconut: The Each country has its own ducer Organization (FPO) with establishment of an International challenges and they need to be Coconut Producer Societies Centre of Excellence for Coconut addressed taking into account the (CPS) at primary level and inte- was proposed by the Government agroclimatic situation, farming grate them to form Coconut Pro- of India during the 51st APCC system and governance and ducer Federation (CPF) at inter- session in 2015 in Kochi, India policy decisions in the country.

COCOINFO INTERNATIONAL, VOL. 24, No. 2, 2017 46 Though India recorded the highest production and productivity of coconut, the processing sector is still in the toddler stage. Developing the processing sector of coconut with “state of th e art” technology and highest product quality is a priority area to be addressed. Replanting and rejuvenation of the senile palms is another challenge since about 20% of the coconut area is senile and needs replanting. Adding to this issue is the shortage in availability of planting material; against the annual requirement of 10 million seedlings, the present supply is only 3.5 million seedlings which needs to be Coconut Nursery to Support Replanting Program addressed on a war footing basis share to total national output and intensifying research on mass Conclusion at the same time, is a main pro- multiplication technologies. More vider of jobs in the country. of hybrids and high yielding Indian Coconut sector is striving There are also multiple manufac- varieties with stress and drought hard to grow further for the bene- turing and service enterprises that tolerance need to be planted. fit of millions who depend on rely heavily on the coconut indus- There is need to make coconut a coconut for their livelihoods. try as source of raw materials and more remunerative crop by Programs and policies are aimed manufacturing inputs. From its enlarging the scale and size of at sustained development of the inception, the current government operations and reducing produc- sector with emphasis on quality. has been very clear that one of its tion costs giving more thrust on The country is aiming at main objectives is to help im- irrigation, drought management sustaining the premier status prove the economic welfare of and soil and moisture conser- enjoyed at global level in millions of coconut farmers. De- vation. Aggregation of farmers production and productivity and velopment efforts and socio- into Farmer Producer Organi- also in the process of increasing economic policies are geared to- sations as a platform of empo- its contribution to coconut wards ensuring a balance be- werment would have to be processing, product diversi- tween the farming sector and the continued. India also faces the fication and exports. manufacturing sectors of the co- common issues in all coconut conut industry. There are around growing countries like rapid PHILIPPINES 3216 registered traders and urbanisation, climate change, manufacturers of coconut cyclones, droughts due to The Coconut Industry is one of products in the country. insufficient monsoon, pest and the main economic sectors of the disease incidence, wide fluctu- Philippines. It contributes a large Coconut Production ations in coconut prices etc. Philippines stands second in area under coconut behind Indonesia and third in production of coconut behind India and Indonesia. The total area under coconut is 3.57 million hectares which is estimated to be around 36% of the total agricultural land in the country. The major coconut producing regions are Calabar- zon, Bicol region, Zamboanga Peninsula and Davao region. The total number of bearing palms in the country is estimated to be around 338.7 million. Of the total palm population, around 30.4% are below 10 years age and Green Manure Cover Crops 62.3% fall in the category 10-60

47 COCOINFO INTERNATIONAL, VOL. 24, No. 2, 2017 years of age. The palms above 60 years of age is only around 7.3%. A production downturn was noticed in 2016 resulting from the prolonged El Nino induced dry spell in key production areas but coconut production is expected to recover in 2017 to 3.379 million MT. The estimated productivity in 2017 is around 0.948 tons per hectare.

Export

Philippines is the leading exporter of coconut products across the globe. Coconut and its value added products constitute the top agricultural export product in the Coconut Intercropping Philippines and the export values were at USD FOB 2.12 billion ing the coconut agricultural sec- implemented. It includes the and USD FOB 1.27 billion in tor. Prevalent poverty of coconut Accelerated Coconut Planting 2014 and 2015 respectively. As a farmers persists. To ensure the and Replanting Program and the consequence of El Nino, exports sustained and reliable productiv- Yolanda Rehabilitation and in 2016 dropped by about 13.5% ity of the industry, programs on Recovery Program. An area of from the earlier year. Forecast replanting, fertilization, farmers’ 99,398 hectares has been however, indicate that exports welfare and development are be- replanted during 2015-2017 till will recover by at least 7%. ing pursued. Expansion to new date. The area newly planted with Coconut oil exports have actually areas, increasing yield through coconut during the perios is increased over 70% year on year agronomic interventions, greater around 178,917 hectares. in the first five months of the support for value adding pro- 2017. The major export commo- grams including entrepreneurship Intercropping and livestock dities include: fresh coconut, and increasing land use efficiency integration copra, coconut oil, desiccated through intensification and diver- coconut, coconut milk/cream, sification are major strategies of Programs on intercropping and virgin coconut oil, oleo chemi- growth and development. livestock integration is also cals, nata de coco, coconut water, undertaken to improve the pro- coconut sugar, coconut flour, Replanting and New Planting fitability of the coconut planta- charcoal, activated carbon, coir of Coconut tions and thereby enhance the fibre and copra meal. Increased income of coconut farmers. Inter- demand of coconut coir, peat and Programs for replanting and new cropping is usually undertaken activated carbon are anticipated. planting of coconut are being with banana, cacao, coffee and Export is under-taken mainly to Europe, USA, Asian countries and Australia. Notwithstanding the impact of El Niño, revenue from exports was higher for 2016 and is expected to improve further in 2017 driven by higher volumes and prices. Moreover, local consumption of coconut products rose by 3.7% from the prior year. Favorable forecast for sustained growth in domestic demand is also seen in 2017.

Programs on replanting/new planting, rehabilitation and enhancing farm productivity

Low productivity continues to be one of the biggest challenges fac- Coconut Replanting in Philippines

COCOINFO INTERNATIONAL, VOL. 24, No. 2, 2017 48 corn while livestock integration includes cattle, carabao and goat. During the year 2016 and 2017, an area of 4,098 hectares has been intercropped with banana, 5,947 hectares with cacao, 1,060 hectares with coffee and 2,121 hectares with corn. It is planned to undertake intercropping in an area of 5,500 hectares during 2018, mainly with cacao and coffee.

Coconut Rehabilitation by Fertilization

Programs are also implemented for rehabilitation of the existing coconut plantations by Pest Control Laboratory fertilization with an objective to increase coconut production by Sweet Harvest Multi-purpose 25-50%. The use of agricultural Cooperative, Lamac Multi- Coconut Research and grade salt and combination of salt purpose Cooperative, A&M Development and coir based organic fertiliser is Multi-purpose Cooperative, Local encouraged. An area was 142,211 Government Unit of Alabat, The major reserach and hectares was rehabilitated during Costales Nature Farms, Sorosoro development activities include the years 2016 and 2017. Ibaba Multi-purpose and Coo- varietal improvement, embryo perative Coconut Enterprise cultured Macapuno production, Community Household level Development Centre which Non food and food development, processing – KAANIB Enter- together involve an investment of biotechnology initiatives (inclu- prise Development Project 1.926 million dollars. The major ding somatic embryogenesis), products are coconut sugar, integrated pest management and Programs are in place for coconut oil and coir. fertility management. The promoting processing of coconut coconut hybridization program and undertaking establishment of Integrated Pest Management and the establishment of seed processing units at community Initiatives for scale insect farms as sources of quality household level. During the last planting materials in highly three years (2015-2017 till date), Philippines encountered a major suitable coconut growing areas a total of 209 community issue of incidenece of attack by are included as priority programs household level units for coconut coconut scale insect which starting this year. Allocation of processing were established. The caused wide spraed damage to substantial funds for research and units undertake production of coconut plantations drastically development has been made to mainly virgin coconut oil, destroying the palms in the address issues on productivity, coconut sugar, coir and coir affected areas. A Coconut Scale climate change and integrated based products etc. Insect Emergency Action pest management among others. Program (CSIEAP) was initiated with the objective to control or Market Development Services KAANIB Coco Hub Develop- reduce the scale population, ment Project prevent the spread of infestation, Assurance of greater market pros- rehabilitate damaged trees and pects through trade promotions, The establishment of coconut provide livelihood support. A product innovation and standardi- agro hubs through clustered par- protocol for the integrated pest zation are also considered priority ticipation of both farmer-organi- management was developed concerns of the government. zed and private sector-led com- under which the major control Cocoweek organised every year munity-based operations is an activities were harvesting and has emerged as a major avenue area of innovation that will lead leaf pruning, trunk injection of for market development and to the revitalization of the indus- systemic insecticide, spraying of market promotion. try. The objective of the project is organic pesticides, release of bio- to The major coconut hub control agents, fertilization and US Roadshow : projects include the Mindanao intercropping and establishment Integrtaed Rural and Develop- of quarantine check points. This year, the tired issue of satu- ment Multi-purpose Cooperative, rated fats as the chief culprit for

49 COCOINFO INTERNATIONAL, VOL. 24, No. 2, 2017 Philippine Delegation during the Roadshow in the U.S.

still the biggest producer in terms cardiovascular disease has again to the previous year. During the of area and production with the been revived by the American period 2012 – 2016, coconut share of 14.5% and 14.7% re- Heart Association (AHA). Coco- plantation area decreased by spectively. Indonesia’s coconut nut oil has been singled out by 215,000 hectares recording an productivity is relatively low, AHA, as it did in the late average reduction of 50,000 hec- around 1.1 tons copra per hectare 1980s.The Philippines has taken tares per year. Out of the total per year. the initiative to rally the Asian plantation area, almost 440,000 and Pacific Coconut Community hectares are senile. There are (APCC) and the private sector in around 5.09 million households Programs to increase the opposing this smear campaign engaged in coconut cultivation. production and productivity of against coconut oil, pointing out coconut that it is based on flawed research Coconut production In order to increase production which endangers the economies and productivity, Ministry of Ag- of the major coconut producing The estimated total coconut pro- riculture has developed programs countries as well as the liveli- duction in 2017 is 2.871 million such as replanting, new planting hoods of millions of coconut ton copra equivalent or equal to and intensification, improving the farmers throughout the world. 14.3 billion nuts. The top five quality of crops and varieties, In partnership with the Depart- provinces that are centres of co- encourage farmers to intercrop- ment of Trade and Industry conut are Riau, East Java, North ping, particularly in 1.7 million (DTI), a Coconut Road show and Sulawesi, Central Java and Cen- hectare cocoa area using certified Outbound Business Matching tral Sulawesi. Riau Province is Mission was sent to the US in September 2017 to conduct a press relation, market intelligence and promotion campaign for coconut oil and other coconut products.

INDONESIA

Indonesia is the country with the largest area under coconut and with the highest potentail for coconut development. The area occupied by coconut plantations is estimated at about 3.54 million hectares in 2017. Almost 99% of these holdings belong to smallholder coconut farmers. A slight decrease in coconut area by 0.61% is noticed in comparison Coconut Harvest

COCOINFO INTERNATIONAL, VOL. 24, No. 2, 2017 50 good quality seeds, develop coconut seed with conventional method and tissue culture, encourage cooperation between coconut development on the farm side and coconut processing industry. Focus is also given on empowerment of snall holders economic groups. Intercropping with paddy, corn and soyabean is undertaken in coconut gardens.

Coconut development policies focus on establishment of high yielding coconut seed garden for seedling production of high yielding varieties, establishment The Proceedings of Coconut New Variety Release Organized by the Ministry of Agriculture of high yielding block and selection of high yielding tress for coconut variety are examples. activated carbon and fresh coco- local coconut, development of Indonesia Agency for Agricul- nuts. Coconut oil ranks first, fol- coconut specific area especially tural Research and Development lowed by desiccated coconut and on held a proceeding on new supe- fresh coconut. Valued about the eastern part of Indonesia rior variety release of plantation USD 1.18 billion and a volume by crops in April 2017. The release of around 1.5 million tons, ex- creating program and activities for Bido coconut variety from port of coconut products contrib- that put attention to enhancing: Morotai is part of the proceeding uted 0.9% of the total non-oil better cultivation, utilization of held by IPCRI in cooperation and gas export in 2016. Main technology, processing to value with the Agriculture Office of export destinations are China, added products, better access to Morotai Regency, North Maluku United States, Malaysia, Nether- market and empowerment of Province. The Bido coconut is land and South Korea. farmers through Smallholders type of fast bearing coconut Economic Institution. Further- originated from Bido Village. Promotional activities more, Ministry of Industry pro- This superior variety can provides incentives in purchasing duce almost 16,400 nuts per hec- Various promotional programs production machinery to support tare or about 133 nuts per tree. have been organised contributing small and medium enterprises in The advantage of this coconut is to the development of the coconut industry by 25 – 30% that the stem grows slowly with coconut sector in the country in from total price. The National large fruit size. This type of co- 2017 which included National Coconut Specific Area is located conut begins flowering at the age Meeting on Coconut Shell across 18 provinces and 39 of two years and can be har- Charcoal Based Industry, regions of the country. vested at the age of three years. Conference on Coconut Husk The shape of the fruit is like a Based Industry, Nata de Coco Research and Development large egg, with copra oil content Industry Meeting and the cele- programs up to 54%. Another new variety bration of World Coconut Day in is Lampanah coconut variety Tembilahan, Riau Province. In research and development, developed in collaboration be- Indonesia also hosted the 52nd Indonesia Palm Crops Research tween IPCRI and the Office of APCC Session/Ministerial Institute (IPCRI) has research Plantation Crops of Aceh Prov- Meeting and the 47th APCC program for the development of ince. COCOTECH Conference and new varieties of coconut hybrids Exhibition in 2016. to produce more nuts and nira. Export IPCRI develops high yielding (Source: Country Paper and coconut seed to supply coconut The export of coconut and coco- presentation at 53rd APCC seed garden and also provide nut-based products decreased Session/Ministerial Meeting in seeds to support replanting pro- 3.5% in 2016 comparing with Kiribati of India, Indonesia and gram. Utilization of superior previous year and the export per- the Philippines and APCC high yield varieties can increase formance showed a declining Statistical data) productivity potentially up to 3.5 trend since 2014. The traditional tons copra per hectare. The export products are coconut oil, 1Assistant Director of Asian and Khina series and the Selayar tall desiccated coconut, copra meal, Pacific Coconut Community.

51 COCOINFO INTERNATIONAL, VOL. 24, No. 2, 2017

A study on the effectiveness of fresh young coconut water (Malayan Tall Coconut Variety) for whole body rehydration, following exercise-induced dehydration shows that although plasma glucose was high when coconut water was ingested, it was significantly higher with CEB (Carbohydrate-Electrolyte Beverage) due to its higher glucose content. With coconut water having similar rehydration index with same trend for per cent rehydration and restoration of plasma volume with the CEB, it can be concluded that coconut water could be used for whole body rehydration after exercise-induced dehydration. In addition, consumption of coconut water caused less nausea, fullness and no stomach upset and it is also easier to consume larger amount of coconut water when compared with carbohydrate-electrolyte beverage or a sports drink. Prof. Rabindarjeet Singh Director, Sport Science Unit, University Science Malaysia (Source: Prof. Rabindarjeet Singh, 2009. Coconut Water: A Rehydrating Drink after Exercise Cocoinfo International, 16 (1): 19-20, and in Proceedings, Malaysia National Coconut Confer- ence 2009, Perak, Malaysia)

Green Coconut has much water and is rich in proteins, minerals, vitamins, calcium, phosphores, iron, iodine, chlorine, sulphur, potassium, carbohydrates and vitamins, B1, B2, B5 and magne- sium. The water also helps the hydration of the body. The green coconut has a ratio of amino acids arginine, alanine, cisteína (essential) and serina, greater than those found in cow’s milk. It is perfect and natural isotonic to restitute energies in the human body.

Tender coconut water has been used in other areas of the world where intravenous solutions cannot be obtained. Japanese have used tender coconut water (T.C.W.) intravenously in Suma- tra, Indonesia in World War I. Pradera et. al. have used intravenous T.C.W. for pediatric patients in Havana, Cuba without any serious reactions DR. D.P. Athukorale Cardiologist, Pharmacologist, (Source: Dr. D.P. Athukorale 2008. Tender Coconut Water – Its Health Benefits Cocoinfo Academician, Colombo Sri Lanka International, 15 July: 14-16)

One of the secrets to coconut water’s success as a rehydration fluid is its mineral or electrolyte content. Coconut water contains the same major electrolytes as those in human body fluids. It has proven to be a superior rehydration fluid when taken both intravenously and orally. Today coconut water is used worldwide as a home treatment for dehydration-related diseases such as cholera and influenza. Death rates from cholera are high. Death, however, is not caused by the infection itself, but by dehydration resulting from the loss of body fluids. Giving cholera patients adequate amounts of coconut water results in a remarkable 97 percent recovery rate.

(Source: Fife, Bruce Healthy Ways Newsletter, Vol. 4 No.4) Dr. Bruce Fife Certified Nutritionist and Doctor of Naturopathic Medicine, USA

 Young coconut water could be drunk to alleviate the burning sensation during micturition  Young coconut water, breast milk, treacle of Saccharum officinarum (F.Graminae) and sugar are mixed together and given for hiccough  Leaves of Dregia volubilis (F. Asclepiadaceae) are to be pounded and mixed with tender nut water. The juice is extracted and given in treatment of poisoning of Nerium indicum (F. Apocy- anaceae)  Water of young king coconut (before flesh is formed inside) is given for fever and it can be consumed as a diuretic in dysuria.  A King coconut is to be opened by slicing off the top.30 gms of powdered fruits (without seeds), Dr. (Mrs.) E.R.H.S.S. Ediriweera of Terminalia chebula (F.Combretaceae) are added to the King coconut water inside and stirred. Senior Lecturer, Department of Sliced top is then replaced (as a cover) and kept outdoors in the dew overnight. Following morn- Nidana Chikithsa, Institute of Inde- genous Medicine, University of Co- ing, the mixture inside is to be filtered and drunk as a purgative. This is called El Vireka by Sri lombo, Rajagiriya, Sri Lanka Lankan traditional physicians. The number of bowel motions will increase as the person continues to drink cold water from time to time during the morning. He should not consume hot or warm food and liquids. This is good for purifying blood and cooling the body.

COCOINFO INTERNATIONAL, VOL. 24, No. 2, 2017 52

 Coconut water contains growth factors that function much like a culture broth and that get used up in the process of growth of the meat.

 Whether in human beings or in plants, growth factors are produced to regulate growth. These chemicals are very potent. Even tiny amounts produce major growth effects. These plant growth factors have bewitching, Merlin-the-Magician-like names: gibberelin, auxin, and cytokinin. Each promote growth.

 One of most studied of the cytokinins is kinetin which is also found especially abundant in coconut water.

 Because of its size, the growth factors in the coconut are abundant compared to other nuts in plant kingdom. They are kept in a stable environment (the coconut itself), continue to be Vermen M. Verallo-Rowel, M.D. active, and withstand the rigors of heat and storage – perhaps because throughout its life the Award-winning, American Fellow Dermatologist and Medical Re- coconut is exposed to the sun and the elements at 30 meters or more above the ground. searcher based at the Makati Medical Center, Metro Manila  Kinetin, one of the coconut’s growth factors, has been shown to retard the aging of fruit flies Philippines and of human cells in culture, and finally, of people using a cream containing kinetin. (Source: Verallo-Rowell, V.M. 2005. RX: Coconuts! (The Perfect Health Nut). Bookman, Inc, Manila, Philippines)

 Dr. Macalalag has proven the effectivity of administering coconut water in treating renal disor-

ders and in reducing or dissolving all kinds of kidney stones. The process involved the endo- scopic procedure of multiple urethral stenting (MUS) or tubatuin (MUS-T), inserting two to twelve urethral catheters into the kidney ureter and irrigating it with coconut water from seven to nine-month old coconuts or buko nectar concentrate powder (BNCP) for a period of 3-19 days. Daily “bukolysis” and renoclysis with BNCP efffects approximately 10 percent reduction in the size of all types of stones treated.

 Dr. Macalalag said that the water from one mature coconut consumed daily, which is equiva- Dr. Eufemio Macalalag lent to about two full glasses per nut, could almost guarantee that the formation of stones in Director of Urology, the Chinese General Hospital, Metro Manila, the urinary tract would be prevented. Dr. Macalalag asserted that the biggest plus factor in Philippines “bukolysis” is its capacity to dissolve kidney stones and arrest their growth.

Coconut Water for Health and Healing

This book describes the many health benefits of this remarkable beverage. It includes a fascinating account of how coconut water has been used as an emergency IV fluid around the world and why it is becoming one of the most popular sports rehydration drinks today.

Coconut water isn’t just for rehydration, however. Studies show it provides numerous health benefits, some of which are the following: dissolving kidney stones, protecting against cancer, balancing blood sugar, providing ionic trace minerals, improving digestion, feeding friendly gut bacteria, relieving constipa- tion, reducing risk of heat disease, improving blood circulation, lowering high blood pressure, helping prevent atherosclerosis, possessing anti-aging properties, and enhancing immune function.

Coconut water tastes delicious straight from the coconut, but can also serve as the base for a variety of foods and beverages. Included are 36 tantalizing coconut water recipes. With 80 percent less sugar than fruit juice or soda, coconut water makes a healthy, refreshing drink for you and your kids.

53 COCOINFO INTERNATIONAL, VOL. 24, No. 2, 2017 EXPERTS’ FINDING ON THE HEALTH BENEFITS OF COCONUT OIL

The lauric acid in coconut oil is used by the body to make the same disease-fighting fatty acid derivative monolaurin that babies make from the lauric acid they get from their moth- ers’ milk. The monoglyceride monolaurin is the substance that keeps infants from getting viral or bacterial or protozoal infections. Until just recently, this important benefit has been largely overlooked by the medical and nutritional community.

(Source: Enig, G.M. 2001. Health and Nutritional Benefits from Coconut Oil: an Important

Functional Food for the 21st Century. Coconuts Today, Special Edition for the 13th Asian Marry G. Enig, Ph.D. Pacific Congress of Cardiology, October 2-3, 2001, EDSA Shangrila Hotel, Manila, Phil- Director, Nutritional Sciences Division, Enig Associates, ippines). Inc.12501 Prosperity Drive, Suite 340, Silver Spring, MD, 20904- 1689 USA

Never before in the history of man it is so important to emphasize the value of lauric oils. The medium-chain fats in coconut oil are similar to fats in mother’s milk and have similar nutriceutical effects. In the past four decades misinformation and disinformation provided by certain politically biased agricultural groups and repeated in professional and lay press have led people to believe that all saturated fats are unhealthy. Little attention is focused on the fact that saturated fatty acids are not single family of fats but comprise three subgroups: short (C2-C6), medium (C8-C12) and long (C14-C24) chain fatty acids.

The medium chain fats are found exclusively in lauric oils. Dr. Jon J. Kabara Emeritus Professor, Michigan State Source: Kabara, J.J. 2000. Nutritional and Health Aspect of Coconut Oil In: Proceedings University, and Technology Ex- change Inc. Galena, Illinois 61036, of the XXXVII COCOTECH Meeting/ ICC 200, 24-28 July 2000, Chennai, India, U.S.A pp. 101-109) .

The Coconut is the Perfect Health Nut. The coconut can help you avoid obesity, boost your immunity, protect you from bacteria, fungus, and viruses – all while keeping you heart-healthy and moisturizing your skin to a natural glow and beauty, even treating acne, and providing beneficial antiseptic, tumor-protecting, and antioxidant effects.

Source: Verallo-Rowell, V.M. 2005. RX: Coconuts! (The Perfect Health Nut). Bookman, Inc, Manila, Philippines.. Vermen M. Verallo-Rowel, M.D. Award-winning, American Fellow Dermatologist and Medical Re- searcher based at the Makati Medical Center, Metro Manila Philippines

With all the opprobrium cast against it, it bears repeating again and again that no evidence has ever been presented to prove that coconut oil causes coronary heart disease in humans. The human epidemiologic evidence proves that coconut oil is safe. Coconut eating peoples like the Polynesians and Filipinos have low cholesterol, on the average, and very low incidence of heart disease. All evidences now point to inflammation and low HDL as the principal instigators of plaque formation. The chemical properties of coconut oil (CNO) and its biologic actions as a medium chain fatty acid make CNO superior to other oils for cooking and health use. Its anti-inflamatory and immune-regulatory actions as shown by its remarkable control of diabetes, hypertension, heart disease,

Dr. Conrado Dayrit auto-immune diseases and cancer, make coconut oil unique. Emeritus Professor, University of the Philippines, College of Medicine, Source: Dayrit, Conrado S. 2006. Coconut Products and Virgin Coconut Oil (VCO) for Health Former President, National Academy of Science & Technology, Metro and Nutrition – A strategy for Making Coconut Globally Competitive. In Proceedings Manila, Philippines of the XLII Cocotech Meeting, 21-25 August 2006, Manila, Philippines.

Dayrit, Conrado S. 2005. The Truth About Coconut Oil: The Drugstore in a Bottle. Anvil Publishing, Inc. Manila, Philippines.

COCOINFO INTERNATIONAL, VOL. 24, No. 2, 2017 54 EXPERTS’ FINDING ON THE HEALTH BENEFITS OF COCONUT OIL

If there was an oil you could use for your daily cooking needs that helped protect you from heart disease, cancer, and other degenerative conditions, improved your digestion, strengthened your immune system, and helped you lose excess weight, would you be interested? This is what coconut oil can do for you. The oil from the coconut is unique in nature and provides many health benefits obtainable from no other source. Coconut oil has been called the healthiest dietary oil on earth. If you are not using coconut oil for your daily cooking and body care needs, you are missing out on one of nature’s most amazing health products.

Dr. Bruce Fife Certified Nutritionist and Doctor Source: Fife, B. 2004. The Coconut Oil Miracle. Penguin Books (USA.) Inc. New York, of Naturopathic Medicine, USA USA.)

The clinical study on the effects of virgin coconut oil (VCO) on immune responses among HIV positive patients in Dhamais Hospital, Jakarta concludes that the macro- nutrient intake, mostly in terms of energy, fats and protein were significantly improved among the VCO supplemented group. In addition, the weight and nutritional status of the subjects, especially among the VCO supplemented group, were maintained well throughout the study. By maintaining body weight and nutritional status, it is expected to have significant increases in CD 4 concentration because nutritional status is frequently associated with immune status, both humoral and and cell- mediated. Walujo Soerjodibroto, MD, Ph.D. Nutrition Department, Faculty of Medicine, University of Indonesia, Source: Research Report on the Effects of Virgin Coconut Oil on Immune Responses Jakarta, Indonesia among HIV Positive Patients in Dharmais Hospital, Jakarta, 2006:21

Coconut milk and coconut oil are consumed by the majority of Sri Lankans and rural people which comprise 70% of our population. They get a significant portion of their calories from coconut. It has been found that the majority of people in the rural areas get about 35 gram of fat per day from coconut and they consume very little food containing fats such as milk, butter, cheese, beef, pork, and corn oil as they cannot afford these expensive dietary items. From our clinical experience, we know that serum cholesterol level of people in rural areas is very low. When we investigate patients with ischaemic heart disease (IHD) from rural areas, we find that their serum cholesterol is normal or low. The commonest risk factor for heart attack in rural areas is smoking. DR. D.P. Athukorale Cardiologist, Pharmacologist, Coconut has been used in Sri Lanka for over 1000 years but the epidemic of IHD is of Academician, Colombo, recent origin. Before 1950, heart attacks were not common in Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka Source: D.P. Athukorale 1996. The Truth About Coconut Oil. In Facts About Coconut Oil, Jakarta: APCC, pp. 52-54 .

Most of the images and metaphors relating to coconut oil and cholesterol that circu- late in our culture are false and misleading. I offer a counter-image, which is meta- phorical, but it is true in that it relates to lipid peroxidation, which is profoundly important in our bodies. After a bottle of safflower oil has been opened a few times, a few drops that get smeared onto the outside of the bottle begin to get very sticky, and hard to wash off. This property is why it is a valued base for paints and varnishes,

but this varnish is chemically closely related to the age pigment that forms "liver spots" on the skin, and similar lesions in the brain, heart, blood vessels, lenses of Raymond Peat Ph.D. the eyes, etc. The image of "hard, white saturated coconut oil" isn't relevant to the A lecturer at some universities oil's biological action, but the image of "sticky varnish-like easily oxidized unsatu- such as the University of Ore- rated seed oils" is highly relevant to their toxicity. gon, Urbana College, Montana State University, National Col- Source: Coconut Oil by Dr. Raymond Peat, http://www.efn.org/%Eraypeat/coconut.rtf lege of Naturopathic Medicine, etc

55 COCOINFO INTERNATIONAL, VOL. 24, No. 2, 2017 EXPERTS’ FINDING ON THE HEALTH BENEFITS OF COCONUT OIL

If you're going to choose just one product to add to your health arsenal, coconut oil may be your best bet. Coconut's chemical compounds make this natural ingredient a powerful tool to solve a whole handful of health issues, including aging, weight balance and infection. Full of antioxidants, this healthy fat is an Oz-approved essential for a healthier you. Dr. Mehmet Cengiz Oz Director of the Cardiovascular Division, New York Presbyterian Hospital Source: www.coconutresearchcenter.org) Little over 50 per cent of coconut oil is medium chain fatty acid, Lauric acid and another 7-10 per cent is medium chain Capric acid. Lauric acid gets converted inside the human system into Monolaurins, the best fat that mother’s milk has. Other than mother’s milk monolaurins are found only in coconut oil. New born babies and infants depend on the monolaurins for their immune system development and their capacity to withstand any infection. In addition, coconut oil can be digested by the salivary lipase, getting obsorbed very fast to give energy like carbohydrates. All other fats need the pancreatic lipase for digestion that the infants do not have. The coconut oil is the best alternative food fat for the infant when mother’s milk is not available. Coconut oil is low calorie fat and as such helps control body weight. Changing the food fat to Prof. B.M. Hedge coconut oil could help reduce weight in obese individuals. It also helps to control blood fat M.D. FRCP (London) levels in diabetics. Coconut oil’s regular use in diet would regularize blood fats and is known FRCP (Edinburg), FRCP to increase the HDL cholesterol fraction while decreasing the LDL and triglycerides signifi- (Glasgow), FRCPI (Dublin) cantly; disproving the myth that coconut oil increases cholesterol and triglycerides. FACC, FAMS

Coconut oil is a rich natural source of Medium-Chain Fatty Acids (MCFAs) which contain highest percentage (up to 92%) of saturated fatty acids with 6-12 carbons, such as Caproic or Hexanoic acid (C6:0), Caprylic or Octanoic acid (C8:0), Capric or Decanoic acid (C10:0) and Lauric or Dodecanoic acid (C12:0). These MCFAs usually form esters of glycerol to become Medium-Chain Tryglycerides (MCTs). Like all triglycerides (fats and oils), MCTs are composed of a glycerol backbone and three fatty acids. In the case of MCTs, 2 or 3 of the fatty acid chains attached to glycerol are medium-chain in length. Many recent studies have demonstrated that MCTs can potentially help in the process of burning excess calorie, and thus reducing weight gain and promoting loss. MCTs also promote fat β-oxidation and reduced the need for more food intake. Compared with long-chain fatty acids (LCFAs), MCFAs are substantially different in their chemical and physical properties on metabolism. MCFAs do not seem to require binding to proteins such as fatty-acid binding protein, fatty acid trans-

Naiphinich Kotchabhakdi, Ph.D. port protein, and/or fatty acid translocase (FAT, homolog to human CD36). MCFAs are a Neuroscience, Research Center, more preferred source of healthy energy (β-oxidation). Recent studies have shown that Institute of Molecurlar Biosci- MCFAs are usually incorporated into adipose tissue triglycerides, and can influence adipose ence, Mahidol University, tissue and other systemic functions more substantially than previously known. Salaya, Nakornpathom 73170, Thailand Source: The International Conference on Coconut Oil 17-20 March 2015, Bitec Conference and Exhibition Center, Samut Prakan, Thailand)

Ghee, coconut oil and mustard oil are traditional cooking media which have been used in India and other developing countries for thousands of years. Although they are saturated fats, they do not show a wide Omega-6 to Omega-3 fatty acid ratio which is quite

high in polyunsaturated oils. The desirable ratio is less than 10:1. Increasing prevalence of diabetes and other related diseases are found correlated with increasing Omega-6 to Omega-3 ratio. On the other hand, consumption of coconut oil which is deficient in polyunsaturated fatty acids has been found to enhance secretion of insulin and utilization of blood glucose. It is beneficial to consume the traditional edible fats such as coconut oil along with polyunsaturated fats to reduce the Omega-6 intake and maintain optimum DR. S.M. Sadikot Omega-6 to Omega-3 ratio in the diet. Hon. Endocrinologist, Jaslok Hos- pital & Research Center, Bombay. Source: Coconut Oil for Health and Nutrition, APCC 2004 Hon. Diabetologist, All India Insti- tute of Diabetes, Bombay

COCOINFO INTERNATIONAL, VOL. 24, No. 2, 2017 56 Market Outlook-Coconut Oil

BEARISH COCONUT OIL MARKET IN THE FIRST HALF OF 2018

rice of coconut oil showed an easing trend in 2017 amid a tight global supply for the Pproduct. In January 2017, the price of coconut oil was US$1,815/MT and dwindled to US$1,580/MT in April 2017. At the same time, the price of palm kernel oil dropped from US$1,760/MT in January 2017 to US$1,029/MT in April 2017. Since coconut oil plays a com- plementary role with palm kernel oil in the market, the high price premium over palm kernel oil put a pressure on the price of coconut oil and also brings price of palm kernel oil up. This prevailed in the second Production deficiency of coco- half of 2017 when price of palm Amid expected improv- nut puts a pressure on copra kernel oil improved to ing supplies, the price of production. The Oil World indi- US$1,382/MT in October 2017, coconut oil is expected cates that the global copra pro- price of coconut oil, in contrast, to be steady at duction in 2017 is expected to further declined to US$1,463/ US$1,500/MT to decrease by 4.1% as opposed to MT and brought about the price US$1,600/MT in the first the previous year’s production premium over palm kernel oil half of 2018. Crude coco- at 4.12 million tons. Only Phil- to lessen from US$551 in April nut oil in Rotterdam was ippines is projected to have a 2017 to only US$81 in October quoted firm at US$1,550 good production of copra f 2017. The narrowing price gap for March/April 2018 on ollowing a favorable weather. between the two lauric oils also November 16, compared Copra production in Philippines pointed toward a shifting de- to US$1.570/MT for is estimated to increase by 7% mand of the oils at the expense Nov/Dec shipment. to the level of 1.37 million tons of coconut oil. this year. Meanwhile Indonesia is expected to have lower copra Coconut production is esti- tons or 2.84 percent lower production of 1.18 million tons mated to be stagnant in 2017 compared to the previous year. compared to 1.28 million ton in amid recovery in rainfall pat- In India, a Coconut Develop- the previous year. Copra pro- tern. In Philippines, UCAP pro- ment Board survey revealed duction stayed behind potential jected coconut production to production estimate for agricul- in recent years, partly as a re- recover 9.3% to 2.244 million ture year 2016/17 at 20,789 sult of senile palms worsened MT since rainfall pattern re- million nuts, 6.22% lower than by typhoon damage and dis- vealed recovery below normal the previous year. Coconut Re- eases but also indicating rising status to above normal status in search Institute of Sri Lanka demand for coconuts for other many coconut areas last year forecasted coconut yield for the uses. Export of desiccated coco- especially in the last quarter. year 2017 is 2,347 million nuts nut from Philippines leveled up Meanwhile in Indonesia, India and this is about 17.5 % reduc- by 39% to 57,866 tons during and Sri Lanka coconut production (498 million nuts) with the period of January-July 2017. tion is expected to decline. Min- respect to the estimated Annual Exports of desiccated coconut istry of Agriculture of Indonesia National Coconut Production from Indonesia rose as well to estimated that the production (ANCP) for the year 2016 78,538 or increased by 20% in 2017 will fall to 2.871 million (2,845 million nuts). compared to the same period

57 COCOINFO INTERNATIONAL, VOL. 24, No. 2, 2017 Market Outlook-Coconut Oil

last year. Export of fresh coco- further strengthen in 2018. At coconut oil to the US total im- nut even rocketed from the same time import of palm ports of lauric oils dropped to 392,997 tons in January - Octo- kernel oil is, similarly, esti- 21.3% from 50% in the corre- ber 2016 to 720,961 tons for mated to scale up from 3.06 sponding period of 2016. the same period in 2017. million MT to 3.19 million MT. As a result, total imports of The shift in preference of lauric Amid a tight copra production, lauric oils decreased by 9.7% to oils at the expense of coconut global export of coconut oil in a level of 3.4 million MT as oil was also observed in 2017 is expected to maintain its against 4.8 million MT of 2015. Europe. In the period of January level at 1.66 million tons and A shortage in copra pro- -July 2017, share of coconut oil hold back the previous negative duction and a wide price pre- to the European total imports trends. Current figures show mium over palm kernel oil has of lauric oils was 42% which that Philippines’ export of coco- further brought about a pro- was 8% lower than its share in nut oil in 2017 increased al- nounced shift of demand at the 2016 for the same period. Ship- most double from 366,553 MT expense of coconut oil in major ments of coconut oil to Europe to 533,890 in the period of destinations. were 0.43 million MT which January-July 2017 following was shrunk by 9.5% opposed to upturn in coconut production. The US is one of countries that of last year. In total, im- Meanwhile in the period of where the buyers of lauric oils ports of lauric oils went up by January-October 2017 Indone- indicate to shift their prefer- 8% following an improvement sian export of the product was ence at the expense of coconut in supply of palm kernel oil. 415,577 MT or declined for oil. A decline in imports of coco- more than 15% compared to nut oil was observed in the US Unlike in the US and 492,715 MT for the same pe- until the third quarter of 2017. Europe, the cross-price substi- riod last year. Insufficient coco- In the period January- tution effect of the two oils did nut production worsened by September 2017, US imports of not appear in China. The share competition for raw material the oil was 0.35 million MT or of coconut oil to total imports with other coconut products shrunk by 11.8% compared to of lauric oils in the first half of restrained recovery of copra 0.40 million MT in the previous 2017 remained at 19% the production in Indonesia. year. Meanwhile, imports of same as that of last year. How- palm kernel oil in the same pe- ever, demand of the oil slightly The import demand of coconut riod were jumping. The oil contracted to 68.5 thousand MT oil, on the other hand, is ex- rocketed from 0.26 million MT from 68.7 million MT in 2015 pected to grow from 1.62 mil- in January-September 2016 to or shrunk by 2.6%. The decline lion MT in 2016 to 1.69 million 1.29 million MT in the same in demand was also witnessed MT in 2017 and forecasted to period of 2017. Hence, share of for palm kernel oil. The oil

COCOINFO INTERNATIONAL, VOL. 24, No. 2, 2017 58 Market Outlook-Coconut Oil

available for production of copra and assuming an uptrend of the average yield to a three- year high of 0.83 tons per hectare, Philippine copra output in 2018 may increase by approximately 0.3 million tons. This would raise production of coconut oil by roughly 170 thousand tons next year, raising Philippine export supplies by 120-140 thousand tons.

Amid expected improving supplies, the price of coconut oil is expected to be steady at US$1,500/MT to US$1,600/MT in the first half of 2018. Crude coconut oil in Rotterdam was 0.dropped to 0.55 million MT in roughly 0.8 million MT in quoted firm at US$1,550 for 2016. Hence, the total imports 2017/2018 as a result of a fur- March/April 2018 on Novem- of lauric oils to China shrunk by ther uptrend in palm kernel oil ber 16, compared to US$1.570/ 9.8% for the said period. by 0.4-0.5 million MT and ex- MT for Nov/Dec shipment. The Oil World forecasted that pected recovery in coconut oil 1 combined world production of by 0.3-0.4 million MT. Given an Alit Pirmansah is Market Devel- palm kernel oil and coconut oil about unchanged mature area opment Officer, Asian and Pacific is expected to increase by Coconut Community.

Now Available

Containing all Papers and PowerPoint Presenta- tions during of 47th APCC COCOTECH Conference in Bali

Price Including Airmail postage:

 US$ 50 (APCC Member Countries)

 US$ 60 (Non-APCC Member Countries)

59 COCOINFO INTERNATIONAL, VOL. 24, No. 2, 2017 Past Coco Events

Coconut Week and 4th Interna- tribute and recognition to coconut ductivity improvement), tional Coconut Festival, August farmers and exporters, technolo- KAANIB partners congress, and 18-20, Manila, Philppines gies, products, services and pro- cocomania; August 20 - Trade grams promotions and launching, related Seminars (halal certifica- The Philippine Coconut Author- coconut industry stakeholders’ tion, fair trade certification, ority (PCA) successfully organized conference, coconut-inspired ganic certification, requirements the country’s 31st Coconut Week fashion show and cocomania; in exporting organic VCO to Celebration this year and the 4th August 19 - coconut investment China and GAP certification), International Coconut Festival on forum cum B2B meetings cocomania, cooking demo with August 18-20 at the Megatrade (investing in quality coconut oil, chef Boy Logro, coconut inspired

Ribbon Cutting Signified the Opening of Coconut Week and 4th International Coconut Festival in Manila, Philippines fashion show, and closing of trade fair and exhibit. Asian and Pacific Community also participated in this event. All latest APCC publications were displayed and many participants were interested in getting information from APCC publication.

A View of the Crowd in Front of the Main Stage During International Coconut Festival

Hall 1, SM Megamall, Manda- processing coconut shell into luyong City. With the theme “Go charcoal, investing on coconut- healthy, go wealthy with Coco- based social enterprises, coconut nut,” the event features the fol- water processing, cocopeat-based lowing activities: August 18 - urban gardening/ nursery man- MCT Oil, a New Coconut Product Line opening of trade fair and exhibits, agement, bio-technology for pro- Displayed in the Exhibition

60 COCOINFO INTERNATIONAL, VOL. 24, No. 2, 2017 Past Coco Events

World Coconut Day and Inter- Riau, Ir. H. Arsyadjuliandi Rach- longs to farmers, not companies. national Coconut Festi- man, M.B.A. Indragiri Hilir Re- He pointed out that he will con- val,Tembilahan, Indragiri gency, Riau on 9 September tinue to support programs on co- Hilir, Riau Province, Indonesia. 2017. Indragiri Hilir is the largest conut to improve farmer’s wel- 9-11 September 2017 coconut area amongst all Regen- fare. Meanwhile, in his keynote cies in Indonesia. It has more address, Mr. Muhammad War- This international event organ- than 400.000 hectares coconut dan, Regent of Indragiri Hilir, ized by the Indragiri Hilir Re- area all over the Regency. Mr. said that the aim to celebrate gency on 9—11 September 2017 Arsyad, in his inaugural address World Coconut Day 2017 in in Tembilahan, the capital city of stated that if we are talking about Tembilahan is to promote coco-

Cultural Show During the Gala Dinner nut potency in Indragiri Hilir globally for the benefits of coconut farmers.

The festival was held during 9 – 11 September 2017 attended by not only local participants but also those who come from other regions in Indonesia and also other countries. Mr. Bambang, Director General of Estate Crops, Ministry of Agriculture and Mr. Oke Nur- wan, Director General of Foreign Students Participating in Record Breaking for Massive Coconut Water Drinking Trade, Ministry of Trade also at- the Regency went well and suc- coconut, we are talking about tended the festival. During the cessful. The event was officially people or farmers since more than event, Record Museum of Indone- opened by by the Governor of 90% of coconut plantation be- sia (MURI) presented record certificates for national record of drinking tender coconut water by as many as ten thousand people at the same time. Another record certificate was awarded for 500 different foods using coconut- based recipes. The activity lineup included exhibition, seminar, business meeting and field trip. APCC Executive Director presented a paper on global scenario of coconut products in the seminar. In the last day, all participants visited a coconut plantation and PT Inhil Sarimas, an integrated (From Right to Left) Mr. Said Syarifudin, the Regency Secretary, Mr. H.M. Wardan, the coconut processor, which cur- Regent of Indragiri Hilir, and Mr. H. Arsyadjuliandi Rachman, Governor of Riau rently processes one million nuts Province Holding the Indonesian-Style Guiness Record Certificates per day.

COCOINFO INTERNATIONAL, VOL. 24, No. 2, 2017 61 Past Coco Events

Pacific Week of Agriculture, Port (SPC) and the Food and Agricul- Islands also took part in the event. Vila, Vanuatu, 16-20 October ture Organization of the United 2017. Nations (FAO). International and Activities concluded on Vanuatu’s regional participants explored inno- Iririki Island, with two major re- Global agricultural leaders gath- vations, discussed challenges and gional agriculture forums - The ered in Vanuatu during looked for ways to protect and ex- Special Session of the Heads of the inaugural of the Pacific Week pand agriculture in the Pacific. Agriculture and Forestry (HOAFs) of Agriculture 2017. Vanuatu was With support from the Technical on 19 October, and the Ministers of

Main Stage During the Inaugural Ceremony hosting the one-week event from Centre for Agricultural and Rural Agriculture and Forestry (MOAFs) 16 to 20 October 2017 in partner- Cooperation (CTA), over 30 par- meeting on 20 October. At the ship with the Pacific Community ticipants from the Caribbean MOAF meeting, ministers endorsed the new FAO five-year plan for its 14 Pacific Island member countries and territories. At the same meeting, a landmark initiative for Small Island Developing States (SIDS) known as the Global Action Programme on Food Security and Nutrition for SIDS, was introduced.

Vanuatu’s Minister for Agriculture, Matai Seremaiah Nawaluhigh- lighted the Government of Vanu- atu’s goal for PWA 2017 of elevat- ing the awareness of agriculture to its rightful place as a major driver of Pacific economies. “I believe that PWA 2017 can provide the appropriate platform for regional collaboration, knowledge sharing and partnership,”said Minister Nawalu. “We certainly look forward to hearing from the experiences of other Pacific nations and from our Caribbean colleagues who face very similar challenges.”

Minister Nawalu also acknowledged recent events in Ambae, which have resulted in the dis- placement of well over 10,000 people due to volcanic activity. School children were curious in looking for information about coconut at “Recent events perfectly demon- the Asian and Pacific Coconut Community (APCC) Booth strate the challenges that face our

62 COCOINFO INTERNATIONAL, VOL. 24, No. 2, 2017 Past Coco Events peoples. The situation on Ambae Pacific Women in Agriculture Re- Kiribati opened its rich Pacific is an example of our need to ex- search and Development; The hospitality to the delegates and plore ideas and expand conversa- Role of Farmer Organizations in observers from member countries tions beyond Vanuatu borders to Climate Change Adaptation; The and turned the APCC Session into ensure our country and our region GAP or Global Action Programme an event, whose memories will remain global examples of resil- on Food and Nutrition Security in last forever in the minds of all who ient communities.” Supporting the Small-Island Developing States; participated. The Tarawa Accord Minister’s sentiments, SPC’s Dep- Regional Strategies and Partner- which declared the commitment of uty Director General, Dr Audrey ships for Agricultural research; all member countries to affirm, Aumua stated that, “SPC is grate- and Market Linkages for farm- support and effectively promote ful to its valued member, the Gov- ers. During this event Asian and the health and nutritional attributes ernment of Vanuatu and com- Pacific Coconut Community of coconut products was also mends its leadership in the coordi- (APCC) was taking part in he ex- signed by the member countries. nation of the first ever Pacific hibition and many people and Week of Agriculture, particularly school children visiting APCC The country papers were presented in the wake of recent events on booth to get knowledge and infor- by the plenipotentiary delegates on Ambae. We are pleased to support mation about coconut. coconut production, processing this historic initiative given seri- (https://reliefweb.int/report/world) and marketing in the country; the ous challenges faced by our mem- constraints faced by the sector and ber countries in the pursuit of food 53rd APCC Session/ Ministerial the policies and programs and nutrition security”. Meeting, Tarawa, Kiribati, 23- implemented in the country to 28 October 2017 enhance farm productivity and Maria Helena Semedo, FAO Dep- increase the farmer’s income; uty Director-General, Coordinator The House of Parliament in updates on the research and for Natural Resources, expressed Tarawa, the capital city of Kiribati development activities undertaken her appreciation to the Govern- witnessed the coconut community in the countries; and the suggested ment of Vanuatu for hosting the unanimously decide to move into road map for the way forward for event, particularly in light of the an international organisation. The the coconut sector. Observer situation in Ambae. “This first decision to upgrade the Asian organisations also presented ever PWA provided an opportu- Pacific Coconut Community from statements on their activities for nity for partners across the Pacific a regional intergovernmental the development of the coconut to coordinate in moving agricul- organisation to an international sector. ture, forestry and fisheries forward organisation was taken by the in line with the Global Action Pro- Plenipotentiary Delegates from the The APCC Annual Reportsfor the gramme for Food Security and APCC member countries during year 2016 and 2017 were Nutrition for Small Island Devel- the 53rd APCC Session/ presented by Mr. Uron N Salum, oping States, the S.A.M.O.A Path- Ministerial Meeting at Tarawa, Executive Director. The Session way and other key SIDs related Kiribati on 24-28 October 2017. discussed and took decisions on initiatives,” Semedo said. the various programs and projects The APCC Session was hosted proposed to be undertaken by A number of side events will also in Tarawa by the Government of APCC. The delegates were also take place, focusing on Youth En- Kiribati through the Ministry of taken on a field visit to the major trepreneurship in the Pacific and Commerce, Industry and processing units and farms in Farmers’ Knowledge Exchange; Cooperatives. The country of Kiribati.

Participants of 53th APCC Session/ Ministerial Meeting Conducting a Field Visit

COCOINFO INTERNATIONAL, VOL. 24, No. 2, 2017 63 Statistics

Table 1. WORLD Exports of Coconut Oil, 2012– 2017 (In MT)

C o u n t r y 2012 2013 2014 2015r 2016p 2017F

A. APCC Countries 1,841,896 1,881,101 1,818,892 1,712,259 1,540,716 1,562,800 Fiji 3,794 1,494 1,630 1,794 1,500 1,500 India 6,552 6,829 7,067 7,725 28,887 28,000 Indonesia 799,973 630,568 771,419 760,072 602,318 605,000 Kenya 553 38 612 161 271 200 Malaysia 136,783 131,068 187,665 152,091 115,969 128,000 Marshall Islands 3,956 3,330 124 0 1,239 1,000 Papua New Guinea 19,847 13,466 11,068 18,467 23,942 19,000 Philippines 852,234 1,080,836 814,206 740,279 726,827 740,000 Samoa 3,935 1,428 1,450 1,020 546 500 Solomon Islands 172 196 238 1,163 1,487 1,500 Sri Lanka 2,499 3,821 11,254 22,032 22,679 22,000 Tonga 0 0 0 1,020 900 900 Thailand 366 651 1,960 15 1,236 1,500 Vanuatu 10,011 5,535 9,208 9,000 659 700 Vietnam 1,221 1,841 991 10,773 12,256 13,000

B. Other Countries 296,958 347,674 278,857 361,450 280,000 270,000

T O T A L 1,860,582 2,138,854 2,228,775 2,087,062 1,820,716 1,832,800

2016 2017

Products Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct

Copra 1,029 1,127 1,225 1,146 1,016 1,044 1,113 1,119 1,059 1,062 1,015 989 Coconut Oil 1,538 1,699 1,815 1,703 1,547 1,580 1,687 1,697 1,591 1,604 1,525 1,463 Copra Meal2 189 184 190 195 177 184 194 212 185 171 163 154 Desicc. Coconut2 2,395 2,444 2,475 2,528 2,480 2,494 2,653 2,655 2,636 2,544 2,505 2,502 Mattress Fiber1 182 180 180 110 110 110 119 123 130 173 189 190 Shell Charcoal2 340 340 340 376 388 400 406 428 430 456 464 452 Palm Kernel Oil 1,476 1,652 1,760 1,576 1,228 1,029 1,097 1,029 1,007 1,165 1,346 1,382 Palm Oil 751 788 809 774 736 685 727 677 663 674 724 718 Soybean Oil 880 907 872 835 813 791 827 827 835 855 882 866 Sri Lanka (FOB) Philippines (FOB)

COCOINFO INTERNATIONAL, VOL. 24, No. 2, 2017 64 Statistics Table 3. World Oil Balance 2016-2018 (1,000 Tons)

Oil/Year 2016 2017F Oct/Sep 2018F Palm Oil Opening Stocks 13,370 9,840 10,670 Production 58,310 66,050 68,770 Imports 43,540 48,080 49,220 Exports 43,680 48,330 49,400 Disappear 61,980 64,770 66,870 Ending Stocks 9,560 10,860 12,390 Soybean Oil Opening Stocks 5,230 5,250 5,360 Production 51,500 54,370 55,840 Imports 12,140 11,810 12,630 Exports 12,120 12,110 12,650 Disappear 51,950 53,990 55,570 Ending Stocks 4,800 5,330 5,610 Groundnut Oil Opening Stocks 260 300 300 Production 3,740 4,110 4,450 Imports 260 280 160 Exports 240 290 160 Disappear 3,750 4,080 4,410 Ending Stocks 270 320 330 Sunflower Oil Opening Stocks 2,350 2,490 2,410 Production 16,360 18,920 18,440 Imports 8,650 10,610 10,050 Exports 8,710 10,650 10,100 Disappear 16,130 18,540 18,460 Ending Stocks 2,520 2,830 2,340 Rapeseed Oil Opening Stocks 6,060 4,480 3,500 Production 24,940 25,270 25,330 Imports 4,390 4,450 4,560 Exports 4,300 4,540 4,580 Disappear 26,610 26,170 25,470 Ending Stocks 4,470 3,490 3,340 Cotton Oil Opening Stocks 450 380 300 Production 4,100 4,240 4,450 Imports 130 120 160 Exports 130 130 160 Disappear 4,160 4,210 4,410 Ending Stocks 400 400 330 Palm Kernel Oil Opening Stocks 1,080 880 910 Production 6,360 7,110 7,430 Imports 3,060 3,190 3,280 Exports 3,040 3,200 3,300 Disappear 6,620 7,030 7,220 Ending Stocks 830 940 1,100 Coconut Oil Opening Stocks 430 360 320 Production 2,550 2,500 2,790 Imports 1,620 1,690 1,850 Exports 1,660 1,660 1,860 Disappear 2,580 2,530 2,670 Ending Stocks 360 330 420 Source: Oil World

65 COCOINFO INTERNATIONAL, VOL. 24, No. 2, 2017 Source: Oil World

COCOINFO INTERNATIONAL, VOL. 24, No. 2, 2017 66 COCOINFO INTERNATIONAL, VOL. 24, No. 2, 2017 67