Edible copra

[Rajesh Velusamy]

Dear All,

Is there any difference between edible copra and White edible copra?

Please share your thoughts.

With Regards,
Rajesh

95 00 95 36 22

[Pyro Coconut]

Hi Rajesh

There are only two types of copra usually in practice, one is milling
copra and another is edible copra.
Edible copra is mainly used in food confectionery items. Still now
there are no such things are conveyed in Tamil Nadu.
May be in production wise this can be differed...,
Exactly where did you come across this one?

[Rajesh Velusamy]

Hi,

I heard this "Edible white copra" from Indonesia friend through social
networking site.

I think the processing of "Edible white copra" may differ from the
processing of "Edible copra".

Any comments will be highly appreciated.

With Regards,
Rajesh

Tamilnadu
India

0091 95009 53622

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[Shree Padre]

Dear Rajesh,

Tiptur area of Karnataka is famous for what is called as 'Ball Copra.' I am given to understand that the whole round (uncut) copra goes mainly to North India for direct eating purpose.

I don't think there is any difference in the post-harvest processing of 'Ball Copra'.

This might be called as 'Indian Edible Copra'.

- Shree Padre

[Prabhakar P]

sir, there is difference between ball copra and edible copra. the matured nut is cut into two portion and sundried. after drying it is slized and sold as edible copra in north india. this is cheaper than ball copra and costliar than milling copra. it is available in huge quantity at kangam.

with regrds

p.sekar

[Hengky Novarianto]

Yeah, 4-5 years ago I know some people produced white copra for export in North Sulawesi. But I don't know now if they still producing or not, because I hear there are a problem to collect a total of volume for export in a time by ship. And most of coconut farmers in Indonesia, included in Nort Sulawesi Province, they produced only daily copra, or sell husk nut for dessicated coconut industry. And about the equipment or technology to produce White Copra, surely more high-tech then  produce daily copra only fogging or under the sun. The equipment is expensive, according to them.

Regards,

Hengky Novarianto

Senior scientist of IPRI

(The Indonesian Palma Research Institute)

Manado

North Sulawesi Province

Indonesia

---

From: Rajesh Velusamy <rrgco...@gmail.com>
To: coc...@googlegroups.com
Sent: Friday, January 13, 2012 7:07 AM
Subject: Re: [Coconut:4807] Re: Edible copra

[anton]

All copra is edible,

In indo there are 2 types copra, sun dried and oven dried.

Oven dried has whiter color.

However both are edible,

Hopefully this info helpful,

Best regards,
Anton

-----Original Message-----
From: Rajesh Velusamy <rrgco...@gmail.com>
Sender: coc...@googlegroups.com
Date: Fri, 13 Jan 2012 20:37:16
To: <coc...@googlegroups.com>
Reply-To: coc...@googlegroups.com
Subject: Re: [Coconut:4807] Re: Edible copra

[Hugh Harries]

Ball copra has two important differences from any other sort of copra. It takes months to produce, instead of days, and it is not suitable for early germinating varieties.

Otherwise, it does have some advantages - mainly low cost and the possibility of easy mechanisation.

I hope that someone who is producing ball copra will write to support these statements - and offer some practical hints - to encourage others to try it.

Hugh.

[Mike Foale]

In 2006 there was a processor at Gorontalo in the western sector of North Sulawesi who was producing white copra for export to India. At the same time the water from the mature nuts was saved, frozen and exported to Singapore. The quality of the copra was high – the initial drying was in the half shells and careful control of the fuel (husks and shell together) ensured that the final copra was not at all brown.

Here in Brisbane I have done trials with hot oil drying of fresh kernel to produce a light- brown dry product which has a very pleasant taste. See also www.cocosplit.com

 

Mike Foale

 

---

[Amrizal Idroes]

They stopped producing the copra in Gorontalo since few years ago. Now, the company moved to Java and still produces the copra and coconut water as indicated by Mike.

A. Idroes.

---

From: Mike Foale <m.f...@uq.edu.au>
To: "coc...@googlegroups.com" <coc...@googlegroups.com>
Sent: Thursday, January 19, 2012 8:37 PM
Subject: RE: [Coconut:4819] Re: Edible copra

In 2006 there was a processor at Gorontalo in the western sector of North Sulawesi who was producing white copra for export to India . At the same time the water from the mature nuts was saved, frozen and exported to Singapore . The quality of the copra was high – the initial drying was in the half shells and careful control of the fuel (husks and shell together) ensured that the final copra was not at all brown.

Here in Brisbane I have done trials with hot oil drying of fresh kernel to produce a light- brown dry product which has a very pleasant taste. See also www.cocosplit.com

 

Mike Foale

 

---

From: coc...@googlegroups.com [mailto: coc...@googlegroups.com ] On Behalf Of Hengky Novarianto
Sent: Monday, 16 January 2012 11:11 AM
To: coc...@googlegroups.com
Subject: Re: [Coconut:4813] Re: Edible copra

 

Yeah, 4-5 years ago I know some people produced white copra for export in North Sulawesi . But I don't know now if they still producing or not, because I hear there are a problem to collect a total of volume for export in a time by ship. And most of coconut farmers in Indonesia , included in Nort Sulawesi Province , they produced only daily copra, or sell husk nut for dessicated coconut industry. And about the equipment or technology to produce White Copra, surely more high-tech then  produce daily copra only fogging or under the sun. The equipment is expensive, according to them.

[deepak chandra]

Hi,  I presume, What Rajesh meant by white copra, it must be ball copra.Well I am a coconut farmer from the Tiptur belt of Karnataka state in South of India.We in this area never sell raw coconut, we convert them to ball copra by harvesting only mature10- 12 months old coconuts, these coconuts are stored in well ventilated store houses with cross ventilation and  in a raised platform (about 2-3 feet from the ground level) so that there is air circulation all around the store house.These coconuts are stored for almost 9 to 11 months (depending on the time of harvest, monsoon months harvests take 11 months where as summer harvested nuts take 9 months to become copra)  from harvest without disturbing them.At the end of the stipulated time the nuts are dehusked and the shell is broken into two halves to produce ball copra(it is just like a ball) the inside of the copra when cut into two halves is almost as white as a snow ,hence it is called white copra.This copra fetches premium price since it would have lost almost all its moisture, hence the shelf life  of the copra is almost for a few months and the copra is sweetish to taste I can post pics of the store house if asked for regards deepak chandra --- On Fri, 1/20/12, Amrizal Idroes <a_id...@yahoo.com> wrote:

[Hugh Harries]

Deepak

Thank you for your practical advice about making ball copra. Please allow me to add some comments.

In the first place, some people may be unwilling to wait 8-11 months before they can sell the product. But once the first waiting period is over production will become continuous. And the labour costs for picking out the copra are greatly reduced.

Other people may not have enough covered space for storage. Can you advise on what space is needed to process the crop from a specified number of palms (say 100)? And. of course, the covered area will be much more comfortable for the workers, sheltered from the sun and the rain and not close to a copra-drying fire.

Do you only process the local Tiptur Tall and, if so, is it like the West Coast Tall, taking 2-3 months from the time of harvesting before beginning to germinate? What happens if you use an early germinating variety, like the San Ramon or the Chowgat Dwarf or a DxT hybrid, which can begin to germinate on the palm even before harvest?

A picture of your store house, as you suggest, would be very helpful. Could you also show pictures of the recently harvested coconuts  ("before and after" drying) and the resulting the ball copra?

Many thanks

Hugh

[Carlos Oropeza]

Dear all:

 

Please find information on the “ ExpoFeria del Coco (Coconut Fair) http://www.cicy.mx/sitios/coco/expoferia.coco2012 ” that we will have in Merida, Yucatan in Mexico in March 16-18. You are all invited.

 

With kind regards

 

Carlos Oropeza

Coordinator of the ExpoFeria

E-mail for the event: expoferia...@cicy.mx

 

Researcher on Coconut and Lethal Yellowing

Biotechnology Unit

Centro de Investigación Científica de Yucatán (CICY)

Calle 43 N° 130, Colonia Chuburna de Hidalgo

97200 Mérida, Yucatán, MEXICO

Tel: 999-942-8330 ext. 191

Fax: (999) 981 39 00

--

[Augustine B Jerard]

Dear Hugh,

Evaluation of different coconut varieties for ball copra production indicated that early germinating varieties are not suitable for this purpsoe owing to the spilage under storage. The accession Tiptur Tall was found better for this purpose as the size of the ball copra is optimum for drying. The study showed that Laccadive Micro Tall is the best for this purpose however with small balls!!.

The weather conditions prevailing in the Maidan tract of Karnataka is suitable for ball copra production (Dry weather with Low RH, Low Rainfall, high temperature etc). The germination inside the storage chambers are almost  absent at these places whereas upto 60 % spoilage (due to germination and rotting) has been observed under coastal conditions at Kasaragod with other varieties.

The ball copra has good market mostly in northern India where making availability of fresh coconuts are difficult. Quality wise, ball copra is sweeter and has more shelf life. It is suitable for all coconut culinary purposes.

With regards,

Jerard

[Hugh Harries]

Jerard

Thank you for confirming my thought that  early germinating varieties are not suitable for ball copra.

The dry weather conditions are important but perhaps in humid areas it might be possible to blow warm (not too hot) air between and around the drying nuts? For example, by burning the residual shell and husk (already thoroughly dried) or (better) by converting the shell to charcoal ?

The warm air would not come in direct contact with the ball copra to discolor it and the low heat would not denature its constituents.

Would the market demand for ball copra in the north absorb additional supplies?

If not, perhaps new markets could be found if virgin oil could be extracted from ball copra?

Some advertising slogans spring to mind . . . !

Hugh
========================================

On 24 January 2012 05:13, Augustine B Jerard <jera...@yahoo.com> wrote:

Dear Hugh,

Evaluation of different coconut varieties for ball copra production indicated that early germinating varieties are not suitable for this purpsoe owing to the spoilage under storage. The accession Tiptur Tall was found better for this purpose as the size of the ball copra is optimum for drying. The study showed that Laccadive Micro Tall is the best for this purpose however with small balls!!.

[SREEKUMAR NAIR]

Dear Hugh,

                 I speak with some experience from the coffee industry where dry beans are kept in natural humid conditions so as to produce a mellow flavored bean called Monsooned Malabar Coffee.Attempts have been made to replicate this process artificially due to the high premium that this coffee commands, but the eventual result was not a success. The process that is followed in Tiptur takes advantage of the natural climatic conditions prevalent in that area as well as the locally available varieties.

                  This cannot be replicated by artificial drying in any form. Artificial drying would hasten the natural process and the end result would be a product that lacks the characteristics of a naturally dried one. I am fairly certain that there would be a loss of color however well one tries to control the temperature ( to dry the warm air has to come into contact with the product )

                  The method that comes to my mind where I also have some experience are the corn cob drying houses for seed corn where the drying temperature is fairly close to the ambient air so as to retain the germination properties as well as color. The flip side is that one would need a very large area for a single layer of coconut and to regulate the movement of air expensive circulation systems need to be devised.Energy costs would make such a venture economically unviable.

                  In conclusion I am of the opinion that niche products are best left to traditional methods.

Regards

Sreekumar Nair 

                  

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Regards,

Sreekumar Nair

Mob + 55 85 9973 4017

[Hugh Harries]

Sreekumar

I accept your comment that "The process that is followed in Tiptur takes advantage of the natural climatic conditions prevalent in that area as well as the locally available varieties."

But from personal experience I know other locations where ball copra also occurs naturally and I want to encourage people to think about trying it for themselves.

Possibly, some of the ball copra producers in Tiptur may share your opinion "that niche products are best left to traditional methods" but if their product is truly superior then it will retain its position in the niche market.

But the "traditional" sun-drying and kiln-drying methods of producing copra that were developed in the 19th and 20th centuries tried to "hasten the natural process" and simply resulted in a mouldy, smelly, pest-infested, sub-standard product that we should be glad to see disappear.

The pictures that I hope Deepak will be sending should show how 10-12 month mature coconuts are stored in well ventilated store houses with cross ventilation and on a raised platform (about 2-3 feet from the ground level) so that there is air circulation all around the store house.

The only difference that I am suggesting is that the air entering the store is gently warmed and that is exactly what you describe in the corn cob drying houses for seed corn where "the drying temperature is fairly close to the ambient air [temperature]." The movement of air around and between the coconuts extracts moisture from the husk which, in turn, extracts moisture from the kernel and that secondary rate of drying will not change.

We are not trying to speed up the 8-11 month drying period (and, of course, we are not expecting the coconut embryos to remain viable).

I do not know if attempts to produce ball copra in humid Kasaragod conditions. as mentioned by Jerard, also included heating the incoming air. Does anyone know?

But if the ball copra process is twinned with shell charcoal production, as suggested, it should be possible to dry the air and no expensive circulation systems would need to be devised. Charcoal production is an exothermic operation so energy production would make such a venture economically viable.

The comparison with keeping dry coffee beans in humid conditions is irrelevant and I hope it will not dissuade people from trying something new.

Hugh

On 24 January 2012 12:01, SREEKUMAR NAIR <petku...@gmail.com> wrote:

[deepak chandra]

Dear Hugh,  As mentioned by you once the cycle begins there would be waiting period.My store house dimensions is 10ftX20ftX10ft each. I have 9 such stores houses for 7-9 harvests in a calender year.Each store house can hold about 25 thousand nuts when completely filled to the brim.The Max temperature in our are is about 36*C during summer months and the min being around 12* C, and the avg rainfall being 25 inches starting  from the months of March/April till mid Nov,the max being in the month of Oct. I have a few Chowghat orange dwarf and DXT trees and I have converted those nuts to ball copra.All you need is very well ventilated store house.I'll upload the photo of the store house in due course. regards deepak chandra --- On Tue, 1/24/12, SREEKUMAR NAIR <petku...@gmail.com> wrote:

From: SREEKUMAR NAIR <petku...@gmail.com> Subject: Re: [Coconut:4832] Re: Edible copra To: coc...@googlegroups.com

[Hugh Harries]

Deepak

Thanks for the information about your ball copra store houses. We look forward to your pictures.

The low rainfall is important because it means humidity will be low and you probably do not need to heat the air even when it does rain?

So what do you do with the husk and shell? How easy or difficult it is it, to separate out the ball copra? Is the work done manually with an axe or on a spike? Could it be automated with a guillotine?

Do you beat out the husk for coir fibres and use the cocopeat in horticultural compost mixes?

Best wishes

Hugh

[Shree Padre]

 Dear Hugh,

 These two pix of Ball copra making I shot in Tiptur area year ago, I hope are  answering your questions.

 I don't think this process is mechanized.

 Regards

 Shree Padre

Water Journalist
Post Vaninagar
Via: Perla - Kerala, 671 552
Phone : 04998 - 266148 
E-mail : shree...@gmail.com

[deepak chandra]

Dear Hugh, Breaking open the copra is done with a steel rod of 1 to 2 ft length,,just one hit and the ball copra is separated from the shell.The pictures uploaded by Shree Padre are the ones which are still not fully converted into ball copra and need a couple of months of storage.Such  immature copra with a little moisture content, normally is stuck onto the shell on one side, which needs a small Axe or machete to be separated,on doing so normally the copra is broken into two or more pieces.  Well, I dispose off the husk to coir manufacturing units, and the shell to carbon manufacturing units  The copra is dehusked using a spike  like  is done all over the world.But it is a lot easier then coconuts because the copra is totally dry with zero moisture content.Normally about 2000 copra is dehusked by each person in a normal working day. regards deepak chandra  --- On Sat, 2/11/12, Shree Padre <yes...@gmail.com> wrote: