MANILA, Philippines–The volume of the country’s coconut-based exports fell by 25 percent in 2014 to settle at 1.47 million tons in copra terms, according to the United Coconut Association of the Philippines (Ucap).
Based on preliminary figures from Ucap, the volume was just about three-fourths of the 1.95 million tons shipped out in 2013.
Last year’s shipment of top agricultural export coconut oil (CNO) dropped by about 28 percent to 793,881 tons while that of copra meal fell by 32 percent to 510,043 tons.
Also, the volume of desiccated coconut eased by 5 percent to 110,115 tons.
However, shipments of oleochemicals in copra terms jumped by 18 percent to 37,269 tons while copra exports surged by 79 percent to 479 tons.
In December alone, exports plunged by 52 percent year-on-year to 66,710 tons, ending a short run of improved volumes seen in the previous three consecutive months.
“All export products performed poorly when compared with respective monthly averages during the year,” Ucap said.
December’s total volume was just about half of the month average in 2014.
“Coconut oil exclusively accounted for the decline in total export. Shipment at 32,500 tons” was down 61.4 percent year on year, Ucap said.
“The (volume) was the year’s lowest and considerably lagged by 53 percent from the monthly average at 69,216 tons,” it added.
Also in December, the volume of copra meal rose 13 percent to 26,900 tons while that of oleochemicals ballooned by 188 percent to 3,250 tons.
Further, desiccated coconut rocketed by 247 percent to reach 7,679 tons in copra terms.–Ronnel W. Domingo