Virgin coconut oil exports are continually swelling as demand has shot up following manufacturers' adoption of production standards, according to an industry group.

The United Coconut Associations of the Philippines said that in the fist half of 2005 alone, 340 metric tons of VCNO were shipped to foreign markets. The figure was 92 percent higher than the 177 MT exported for the whole of 2004. Forecast for 2005 show that at least 500 MT will be sold to markets abroad.

The United States took in 331 MT or about 97 percent of the export market. In 2004, the US imported about 170 MT or 96 percent of total shipments last year.

Other markets bought limited quantities, including Singapore, Ireland, South Korea, Saudi Arabia, Australia, Malaysia, Hong Kong and Germany.

According to the Virgin Coconut Oil Producers and Traders Association of the Philippines (VCNO Philippines), world demand was surging as more countries turn to the product as an alternative food supplement.

VCNO Philippines data showed that in 2003, the group exported an estimated 200 MT or double the 100 MT it shipped out in 2002.

The trend was observed as the industry adopted a national standard in making VCNO as laid out through the Philippine Coconut Authority's Administrative Order No. 01, Series 2005, or the Implementing Rules and Regulations to Enforce Standards in the Production and Marketing of Virgin Coconut Oil.

The standards were registered with the Philippine National Standards and were the result of "extensive and exhaustive" consultations made nationwide with the help of the Department of Trade and Industry's Bureau of Products Standards, the Department of Health's Bureau of Food and Drugs, the Department of Agriculture's Bureau of Agricultural and Fisheries Products Standards, members of the VCNO Philippines, and independent producers.

VCNO is being marketed as a food supplement an is said to provide health benefits like protection from viruses, fungi and bacteria because of its monolaurine content, a major component of mother's milk that enhances the immune system of infants.