Exploring Challenges and Opportunities in the Global Copra Market

The coconut industry covers a broad global footprint, with over 61 million tonnes produced annually on more than 12 million hectares across 40 countries worldwide. Many of these producers are smallholders, or small-scale farms ranging from 0.5 to 4 hectares in size, which produce more than 95% of the world’s supply.

With an estimated value of more than $21 billion in 2024, the coconut market is projected to almost double in size, reaching nearly $40 billion by 2030 with a compound annual growth rate of 8% or more by some estimates. This growing demand is driven by increasing consumer awareness of coconut’s versatile applications across industries.

Overall, rising coconut oil prices reflect the decline in copra production, combined with surging demand for fresh coconuts and coconut biodiesel, which divert supply away from traditional oil processing. This price volatility can cause ripples throughout the coconut supply chain—especially impacting smallholder farmers, who can’t afford the drop in income.