Philippine Export of Coconut Products Up in March

Official data from the Philippine Statistics Authority show Philippine export of coconut products in March leaped 45.5% to 214,551 MT in copra terms from 147,477 MT in the same month year-ago.  Revenue, however, slightly dropped by 3.4% to USD159.455 million from USD165.082 million.  

Export of coconut oil leaped 47.9% to 122,224 MT from 82,847 MT year-ago.  This is the second time since November last year that volume surpassed 100,000 MT, November total was 126,627 MT. Copra meal shipment, however, dropped sharply by 50.3% at 15,834 MT from 31,841 MT.  Desiccated coconut posted the sharpest growth.  Volume at 11,846 MT more than doubled last year data at 5,249 MT (+125.7%), contrasting with oleochemicals which slumped 71.5% to 2,231 MT as copra from 7,837 MT.  There was no export of copra since January but last year in March, shipment was recorded at 22 MT.

Other products performed as follows, in MT: coco shell charcoal 5,303 MT (-25.1% from 7,078 last year), activated carbon 5,771 (-12.1% from 6,567), virgin coconut oil 1,600 (+6.7% from 1,500), coco water 5.785 million liters (-13.6% from 6.698 million), fresh coconuts 188,250 nuts (+45.0% from 129,797), Others 15,585 (+55.3% from 10,037).

Export for the first quarter of this year accumulated to 444,120 MT in copra terms, rising pronouncedly by 22.7% from 361,942 MT at the same time year-ago. Breakdown is as follows, in MT: copra nil (22 last year), coconu oil 243,046 (202,164), copra meal 84,350 (99,593), desiccated coconut 32,446 (19,806), oleochemicals as copra 8,169 (10,404); Coco shell charcoal 14,301 (15,993), activated carbon 19,412 (17,828), virgin coconut oil 4,726 (4,547), coco water 16.647 million liters (19.053 million), fresh coconuts 752,371 nuts (348,262), others 37,719 (24,725).