Photos

These coconuts were harvested to produce copra. Copra is referred to as the dried coconut meat obtained from inside its fruit. Coconut oil is then extracted from this dried coconut for different purposes.

Depending on the method of drying used, copra can be categorized into four classes, A: Hot air, kiln, B: sun dried, C: smoked, and D: mixed method in which they are again subclassed according to moisture content. The method of drying usually used in the Philippines is sun drying, smoked tapahan drying and hot air drying. It also indicates the different grades, as high as 25 percent moisture content, is traded. The best grade copra contains no more than 6 percent moisture.

Interestingly, buyers and traders in this trade measure the moisture content by feel or visually, since they do not have instruments to measure moisture content.

Coconut oil is primarily exported to the US (50%) and Europe (45%), Japan, Taiwan and Malaysia. Other products like copra meal used to feed horses and cows are also produced and shipped to South Korea, Japan, Vietnam and Singapore. a total of ~223,071 metric tons of coconut products were exported in October 2007. (Figures from inquirer.net)

Shot taken in 1996, Puerto Galera, island of Mindoro, using Nikkormat with analogue film then converted to digital format. Photo is damaged at the upper right near center.