The Americans’ preference for Philippine coconut was affirmed last month after local manufacturers of coconut-based products generated $6 million in sales during a trade exposition in the United States, according to the United Coconut Association of the Philippines (Ucap).

The Ucap has also assured farmers and makers of virgin coconut oil and other processed coconut—not only here but among Asian-Pacific producers—that the US market continues to “rave” about Philippine coconut and its health benefits.

“America still loves our coconuts,” Ucap Chairman Dean A. Lao Jr. said during the Cocohouse briefing on the Maryland East Expo Roadshow.

The trade mission sought to affirm scientific studies about the health benefits of coconut. The expo was supported by the Department of Trade and Industry, Philippine Coconut Authority, Philippine Embassy and attachés in the US.

Aside from Maryland, local coconut producers also visited Washington D.C., Los Angeles, San Francisco and Denver.

While there has been misinformation on coconut oil apparently arising from competitor products, the Ucap said the sentiment of the US consumer market is to “defend coconut products”.

Scientific studies have linked medium-chain fatty acid (MCFA) content in coconut oil to less incidence of cardiovascular disease in studied populations. MCFA is also widely recognized as the major ingredient in energy-boosting ketogenic diet.

The private-public sector trade group will carry out more programs to attest to authorities scientific proof of coconut oil’s nutritional benefits.

Dr. Fabian M. Dayrit, chairman of the Asia and Pacific Coconut Community (APCC) Scientific Advisory Committee-Health, said the APCC has communicated with the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) its position against a presidential advisory issued by the American Heart Association (AHA) that branded coconut oil as saturated fat and classified it as the same as any animal fat.

“The FAO agreed to a technical meeting in a scientific conference among experts in 2018,” Dayrit said.

The APCC’s communication with the FAO will be important as the APCC also deals with World Health Organization, also a United Nations unit.

While the country thrives in exporting virgin coconut oil and semiprocessed coconut products in bulk, Lao said it is important for the Philippines to “intensively invest” in product research. He noted that Thailand has led Southeast Asian countries in coconut-product innovation.

Packaging, marketing and distribution strategies are important such that some coconut products get more sales through branding, private labeling and online (Internet-marketing) distribution.

Some coconut-based products that should inspire Philippine producers, according to Ucap, include the privately labeled “Simple Truth” of Kroger, Pure Brazilian Coconut Water, and tortilla chips made from coconut flour.

“Trends point to everything coconut. There’s a strong preference for natural and organic, and companies with a focus on CSR [corporate social responsibility], fair trade and sustainability,” Lao said.

The group also met with Filipino scientists from Philippine American Academy of Science and Engineering, which may explore scientific studies on coconut in the future.

The Ucap also oriented the Coconut Coalition, a group of major distributors of coconut products in the US, on its position on the false accusation of the AHA that all saturated fats could cause cardiovascular diseases.

“The Coalition wants us to be alert, and we are. We feel the sentiment that consumers still prefer coconut. But it’s not something we should take for granted,” he said.

The Ucap noted shipments of coconut products are immediately recovering from a temporary 25-percent drop in sales following the release of the AHA advisory.

Ucap Executive Director Yvonne T. Agustin said shipments of Philippine coconut products in January to June reached $1.132 billion, nearly double the $636 million recorded in the same period last year.