United Kingdom (UK): Coconut oil imports from non-EU countries 2009-2023

In 2023, the volume of coconut oil imported from countries outside of the European Union into the United Kingdom reached 2,079 metric tons. For most of the past decade, the import levels have fluctuated. 

Coconut oil trade

When EU arrivals are taken into consideration imports jump to slightly less than 27 thousand tons. At first this seems somewhat surprising, however, countries in the EU such as Germany produce coconut oil themselves, although the coconuts are provided via import. Germany’s production comes to just over 30 thousand tons.
The coconut tree was originally from the Pacific islands and south India. Arabs, Austronesians and Europeans introduced Indian and Pacific Coconut trees to large parts of the world. The palm trees on which the coconuts grow could originally not be found in any parts of the Caribbean, Africa or in any parts of South America.

World market

Worldwide coconut oil production amounted to over 3.51 million metric tons in 2021/22 and is slightly up from the prior 12 months. Worldwide prices peaked in April of 2017 and have fallen since then bottoming out in June of 2019. At the end of 2019 prices had risen again. In January 2022, prices peaked again and a metric ton of coconut oil was worth 2,016. dollars.