The organic coconut oil market - France

Coconut oil is an edible vegetable oil made from the fresh albumen of mature coconuts. In 2020, coconut oil was the 8ᵉ most produced vegetable oil in the world. The popularity of coconut oil comes from its virtues for the health because it contributes to reduce the level of "bad" cholesterol in the body. It has a multitude of different uses in cooking (vegetable oil, dietary supplement), cosmetics (skin care, hair care) or in the pharmaceutical industry. There are two kinds of vegetable oils: virgin oils and refined oils (copra). The difference lies in the way they are extracted. There are also virgin and extra virgin coconut oils, the latter being more expensive. Nevertheless, no standard clearly defines the difference between the two. Organic coconut oil refers to oil that has been produced without the use of chemicals or pesticides to grow the coconuts. Coconuts are mainly produced in East Asia, such as Indonesia, and European countries are the main consumers of coconut oil, 5 of the countries importing the most coconut oil are in Europe in 2020, with France in the 9ᵉ position of importers. Coconut trees cannot grow in mainland France for climatic reasons, so French production comes from the production of the DOM TOM, notably Reunion, Martinique and French Guiana, but this production remains low, forcing France to import oils in large quantities. In 2019 and 2020 the quantity of imported oil stabilized after a 38% growth compared to 2018, with more than half of the imports coming from the Philippines in 2020 The health benefits of coconut oil have been controversial, as well as the impact of its production on the environment, but organic coconut oil remains a product that fits perfectly with current trends in organic and natural products.