Vital Coconut Industry Development Unit visit by the SC/SS 115 Ethnobotany class students
The SC/SS 115 Ethnobotany class visited the Vital Coconut Industry Development Unit which has a mission focus on coconut for life. Through the production of coconut oil based products, Vital provides income to farmers across the nation. The farmers are registered and organized into participant guarantee system groups (PGS) that sell copra to Vital. The copra is used to produce both crude coconut oil diesel and virgin coconut oil for cooking and cosmetic uses.
The facility in Pohnpei focuses on the production of virgin coconut oil for cooking oil and soap production. The facility can process up to 2000 pounds of copra per day, roughly 1500 coconuts. The process also produces roasted dried and pressed copra which is sold as pig feed. A larger facility with a ten fold increase in capacity is under construction in Tonoas, Chuuk. That facility will produce crude coconut oil, pig feed, and from the husks, peat.
A student asked about the impact of the CIDU units on coconut supplies. Even with both units running at full capacity, the units will only require the equivalent of three coconuts per tree per month. A well tended tree typically produces ten to fifteen coconuts per month, thus the supply will be three to five times the demand.
Soap is produced at the Pohnpei unit. The students were treated to a wonderful demonstration of the soap production process. The unit produces bath size soaps sold wholesale and smaller soaps that are sold wholesale to hotels for use in guest rooms. The soaps are scented or have other ingredients such as turmeric ginger added that are beneficial for the condition of the skin.
The unit hopes to expand sales beyond local markets and distribute internationally in the coming years.
The facility in Pohnpei focuses on the production of virgin coconut oil for cooking oil and soap production. The facility can process up to 2000 pounds of copra per day, roughly 1500 coconuts. The process also produces roasted dried and pressed copra which is sold as pig feed. A larger facility with a ten fold increase in capacity is under construction in Tonoas, Chuuk. That facility will produce crude coconut oil, pig feed, and from the husks, peat.
A briefing on the coconut industry and benefits to the nation
A student asked about the impact of the CIDU units on coconut supplies. Even with both units running at full capacity, the units will only require the equivalent of three coconuts per tree per month. A well tended tree typically produces ten to fifteen coconuts per month, thus the supply will be three to five times the demand.
For the students everything they encountered today was new to them
Soap is produced at the Pohnpei unit. The students were treated to a wonderful demonstration of the soap production process. The unit produces bath size soaps sold wholesale and smaller soaps that are sold wholesale to hotels for use in guest rooms. The soaps are scented or have other ingredients such as turmeric ginger added that are beneficial for the condition of the skin.
Yellow ginger is Curcuma longa, also known as turmeric.
The unit hopes to expand sales beyond local markets and distribute internationally in the coming years.
Comments
Post a Comment