Costly Oil Prices A Blessing For Copra Industry in Samoa

Written by Pio Sioa
Sunday, 10 February 2008
Managing Director of Pacific Oil, Samau Mr. Etuale Sefo. The revival of the copra industry in Samoa have to take a bow to the ever increasing global prices for oil, if the promise of copra oil as a substitute for diesel imports hold out. A serious effort to reverse years of decline in the copra industry is scheduled to come into effect by April, when the coconut oil mill of the newly established Pacific Oil Company starts operation at Nu’u. “The challenge is to ensure there is sufficient supply of copra available for processing, the industry has been in decline because of limited access to overseas markets,” Managing Director Samau Mr. Etuale Sefo of Pacific Oil told Newsline. “ Coconut is one of the few resources we have plentiful of, but for us to boost the volumes, we have to offer a fair price to reward the farmers.” Samau expects up to 5 thousand tons of copra available for processing in the first 3 years of production. Better incentive for farmers and replanting carry the hopes of a boost in production to 20 thousand tons or 15 million litres of oil a year in 10 years time. “In the current environment of high global prices for diesel oil, what we can substitute through coconut oil translate into a significant savings in foreign exchange. “We could divert those savings into providing more incentives for farmers to plant and harvest more copra.” The current export of copra from Samoa is only a trickle of the potential it is capable of. The main focus for farmers is the domestic market and for family consumption. The all out push for copra oil is a subject for quiet concern over the balance of industrial and personal use for consumption. Samau however was quick to dispel any reservations in that area. “The choice is always for family use first, what they have in excess are then considered for commercial purposes.” Samau also argued that coconut is not a stable food for Samoa. “Coconut is basically to enhance what people eat, so in that sense it is not held as such, along the same lines of stables like taro, banana or breadfruit.” The production of copra oil is not a new industry in Samoa, but it was developed for export to overseas markets. Construction of the Pacific Oil company plant is currently underway and should be completed by the end of the month. “The equipment arrives in early March and we should go into production by late April.” Initial production target for the first 3 years of operation is 3.5 million litres a year or about 8 per cent of the 40 million litres of diesel Samoa is currently importing . A long-term goal of 15 million litres or 35 per cent worth of diesel imports a year is targeted over the next 10 years. The use of copra oil to run diesel engine cars have been test trialed in Samoa successfully by the Electric Power Corporation EPC. Comments (0) Subscribe to this comment's feed Write comment Name Email Title Comment
Last Updated ( Sunday, 10 February 2008 )

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