Is Coconut Oil Supreme™ organic?

Coconut Oil Supreme™ is produced from coconuts grown without the use of herbicides, pesticides, fungicides or any other practices which would affect its organic status. Since we began offering this premium oil in 2001 we have described it as organic, but not "certified organic." We could supply Coconut Oil Supreme™ in a "certified organic" version at a considerably higher cost but since most of our customers are interested in purchasing the highest quality oil at the best price, we have opted not to go that route.

In April of 2006 we received a letter from USDA stating that they had received a "consumer" complaint about the organic status of our oil. We were informed that we could not describe the oil as organic unless it was repackaged in a "certified" facility. This would result in an additional cost to our customers without any additional benefit.

The "organic" coconut oil claim has been used as a promotional tool by many companies who describe their oil as organic to imply that it is somehow different or better than other oils. The "organic" label appears to reflect a marketing strategy rather than a difference in the product. Many times we assume that if a product is labeled as organic it is inherently better than one without the "organic" label. Were it not for this assumption, we would not be willing to pay the generally higher "organic" price. In the case of coconut oil, the organic label doesn't appear to mean a whole lot. The following statement provides some clarification of this issue:

In ordinary practice, coconut farming is 'naturally' organic. It is unlike industrial farming of annual crops with its particular orientation toward intensive production and heavy use of chemical fertilizer, pesticides and herbicides. Coconut growing remains a domain of small farmers who operate with an average of 3 hectares per farmer. A result of this difference in orientation is that chemical usage is seldom practiced. Organic certification agencies do not distinguish between copra and non-copra oils (and they do allow for solvent use under certification rules). "Organic" coconut oil is promoted as more 'natural' when in fact, the vast majority of "organic" coconut oil is copra based and would not qualify as "natural" oil in coconut growing countries.

A number of customers have reported requesting copies of the organic certifications advertised by other suppliers, only to have their requests ignored. I noticed an ad by one company in the Philippines which claims to be a USDA certified producer of coconut oil. The USDA is not a certifying agency and thus could not "certify" them as an organic producer. This is another case of caveat emptor, (let the buyer beware). It is easy to claim anything; having it be true is another matter.

For customers who are interested in purchasing certified organic virgin coconut oil for use in the manufacture of another product which they plan to have certified as organic, we are happy to quote pricing for certified organic Coconut Oil Supreme™ packed in 180 kg drums. Since we would not be repacking the oil the factory certification would remain intact.

Should you have any questions regarding the organic issue, please feel free to contact us either at 800.922.1744 or by email.

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