DESICCATED COCONUT EXPORT

Desiccated coconut, also referred to as Coconut Powder, is simply coconut meat that has been grated and dried.
Desiccated coconut, a basic product of processed coconut has been a foreign exchange earner for the country for a long period of time and a successful business venture for its investors.
Desiccated coconuts have to be processed in an appropriate manner especially for the export.
The process involves de-husking - the removal of the husk, leaving the shell intact, hatcheting (the removal of the shell), paring (the removal of the brown skin around the kernel), washing, comminuting, drying (to humidity level below 3%) and sifting.
dessicated coconuts can be produced without oil extraction or with partial oil extraction by appropriate physical means.
Desiccated coconut whether sweetened or unsweetened, is commonly used as a topping for Asian dishes and as an ingredient in cooked cereal and in baked goods. It does not contain cholesterol or trans fats, it is rich in essential nutrients like dietary fiber, manganese, copper and selenium.
A good quality Desiccated Coconut should be white in colour, free from yellow specks, black spots and other discolourations. It should have sweet aroma of coconut, mild characteristic of coconut without rancid and even particle size distribution.
The product should be appropriately packaged and labelled. Packaging used for desiccated coconuts must protect the quality characteristics of the product and protect the product from bacterials and other contamination (including contamination from the packaging material itself) and not pass on to the product any odour, taste, colour or other foreign characteristics.
Craft paper bags with inner sealed polythene are the common types of packaging for desiccated coconuts to keep away the atmosphere’s moisture from reaching it.
Also, the labelling of the product should adequately indicate the product's nutritional information, manufacture and expiration date, place of production etc.
With 30% of the world's imports, the European Union is the largest importer of desiccated coconuts in the world. The demand for desiccated coconut is high in European countries which utilizes it for cake-making and confectionary products.
The import of desiccated coconuts in Europe is basically increasing with the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany and the United Kingdom.
The product also benefits from the rising interest in Asian cooking.