Copra, the dried meat of coconuts, is harvested by splitting open mature coconuts and drying the meat in the sun. The dried pulp is pressed to extract coconut oil, which is used for cooking, detergents, and soaps. The copra industry began in the 1860s to address a shortage of dairy fats in Europe. Coconut harvesting and production remains a mainstay of Pacific Island household life, but processing copra can cause skin irritation.
Copra is the dried meat of coconuts. Each mature coconut tree bears 50 to 75 nuts which can be harvested, split open with a machete, and left in the sun to dry. The copra is then taken out of the shells and further dried on racks. It is then packed in canvas bags for transport to a processing plant.
In the plant, the dried coconut pulp is pressed through rollers to extract the coconut oil it contains. The dried rest is called coconut cake or oil cake. Oilcake is rich in fiber and protein and is considered a high quality livestock feed. Coconut oil is also extracted using hexane, a byproduct of crude oil.
The oil is refined and used for cooking and margarines. It is also used for detergents, shampoos and soaps. Coconut oil contains lauric acid, which protects the oils from going rancid. Baked goods made with coconut oil have an extended shelf life compared to products made with other fats.
The copra industry began in the 1860s when European businesses were looking for edible oils to address a shortage of dairy fats in Europe. They found their source of oil in the coconut palms of the Pacific Islands. The Pacific Islands had tended trees and harvested nuts as a cottage industry.
Jungle areas were cleared under the direction of European copra trading companies so that more coconut trees could be planted. Coconut trees grow rapidly and mature within five to six years of planting. They are very tolerant of salt water and arid conditions.
Each family was responsible for their own trees. Family members would break the dice in half with a machete or by bringing the dice down on a sharp point. Then they would put the halves out to dry in the sun for several days. The dried meat was manually scraped from the shells.
Copra traders would sail from island to island, collecting the burlap sacks that the islanders would prepare for them. Their visits were timed to encourage the islanders to work preparing as many products as possible for each sailing. The natives would take their harvest to the island’s trading post, where the transaction would take place.
Coconut harvesting and production continues to form a mainstay of Pacific Island household life. The islanders still use traditional methods to split and dry the coconut halves. They also continue to manually extract the dried meat.
Collecting Copra is not without its drawbacks. For example, copra itch is a complaint sometimes seen in those who process this product. It is characterized by redness and itching that begins on the hands and arms and later spreads to the trunk of the affected person. A mite has been identified as responsible for this skin condition, which resolves with treatment or by eliminating contact with mite-infected copra.
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