December 2018

Philippines is among the top coconut exporters in the world. Around 70% Philippine coconut went to export and is also considered significant crop for local demands. Philippines produces an average of 4,000 coconuts per hectare annually. 75% of world supply of raw coconuts comes from Philippines, Indonesia and India. Global demand for coconut products is increasing at 10% per annum. 95% of coconuts come from smallholder farmers.

The coconut tree (Cocos nucifera) is a member of the palm tree family (Arecaceae) and the only living species of the genus Cocos. The seed or the fruit is a drupe, not a nut. Coconuts is dubbed as the tree of life due to its versatility and the variety of products and livelihood that can be made from it. Not to mention the healing and health benefits it can provide. Its uses are for food, cosmetics, industrial raw materials, medicine, and so forth and so on. Coconuts a large quantity of clear liquid called “coconut milk.” When immature, may be harvested for their potable “coconut water”, also called “coconut juice”. Mature coconuts can be used as edible seeds, or processed for oil and plant milk from the flesh, charcoal from the hard shell, and coir from the fibrous husk. Dried coconut flesh is called copra, and the oil and milk derived from it are commonly used in cooking – frying in particular – as well as in soaps and cosmetics. The hard shells, fibrous husks and long pinnate leaves can be used as material to make a variety of products for furnishing and decorating.

Below is how we packed and export young and/or mature coconuts (depends what buyer require):

Young Coconuts ASEAN Standard (parameters):

whole, trimmed, or polished
free of cracks at the shell
fresh in appearance
sound; produce affected by rotting or deterioration such as to make it unfit for human consumption is excluded
clean, practically free of any visible foreign matter
practically free of pests affecting the general appearance of the produce
practically free of damage caused by pests
free of abnormal external moisture, excluding condensation following removal from cold storage
free of any foreign smell and/or taste
for the whole fruit, spikelet and peduncle should be absent and the calyx should be intact

Mature Coconuts ASEAN Standard (parameters):

whole
untrimmed (with husk) or trimmed (semi-dehusked mature coconut, dehusked mature coconut except for the perianth area, fully dehusked)
brown or green color depending on the characteristic of the variety
free of germination
free of cracks on the shell
practically free of pests and damage caused by them affecting the general appearance and the meat quality
sound; produce affected by rotting or deterioration such as to make it unfit for human consumption is excluded
clean, practically free of any visible foreign matter
free of abnormal external moisture, excluding condensation following removal from cold storage
free of any foreign odor and/or taste.

Technical: Cooling and storage of fresh Coconuts

Room-cooling is generally used for pre-cooling mature husked nuts. Forced-air and hydro-cooling are acceptable. A rapid temperature change of 8°C can cause cracking.

Mature coconuts with husk can be kept at ambient conditions for 3 to 5 months before the liquid endosperm has evaporated, the shell has cracked because of desiccation or sprouting has occurred.

Storage at 0°C to 1,5°C and 75% to 85% RH is possible for up to 2 months for mature, de-husked coconuts and 13°C to 16°C and 80% to 85% RH for 2 weeks or less. Low RH and high temperature should be avoided.

Aside young and mature coconuts, we are also capable to export other related products: