Copra << KOP ruh or KOH pruh >> is the dried meat of the coconut. Copra is valuable for its oil, which is used in the manufacture of soap, candles, margarine, detergents, cosmetics, and other products. Copra is one of the main exports of islands in the Pacific Ocean.
Coconut meat is dried in the sun or in ovens called kilns, or by using hot air. Drying removes water from the meat, allowing the meat to keep for a longer time.
The oil in copra is pressed out. The remaining cake, called coconut-stearin or poonau, is used for fodder and poultry feed. Copra yields from 50 to 65 per cent of its weight in oil. Thirty average coconuts produce about 1 gallon (3.8 liters) of oil.
