Rival Copra
p. 22 · Read in the full issue
Babassu Oil Could Rival Copra
people outside of Brazil know 1 anything of Babassu Palms, although it is obvious that if the extraction of oil from them could be as highly organised as the copra-milling industry, the latter would have to look to its laurels.
This interesting item appeared in the copra market report issued by Chairman lan McDonald, of the P-NG Copra Marketing Board, in early November: An interesting side-light on the oil market this month is a reported sale of 1,500 tons of Babassu oil from Brazil—the first for years.
Babassu palms grow only in cer tain areas of Brazil, where they flourish in a wild condition, and the oil is a direct competitor of coconut oil.
The potential output is enormous, but there have b,een two major hindrances to production;—(a) the shortage of labour for collecting the nuts; and (b), the lack of adequate mechanical means of cracking the extremely hard and thick shells containing the kernels.
In addition, transport facilities are inadequate in most of the pro ducing areas.
Production, in terms of oil, has been around 40.000 tons annually tt ol eternal consumption’, but the United States and Brazillian Governments have been studying the possibilities of an expansion in output.
It is understood also, that a US firm has already commenced extrac tmn of this oil by modern methods in North Brazil.