Thai Coconut Briquette Producer Sees High Demand, but Short Supply of Shells.

Byline: Somporn Thapanachai

Aug. 6--There are many products in the market of which supplies exceed demand. But this has never been a problem for Piya Ake-intumas who produces coconut briquettes for both domestic and overseas markets.

On the contrary, his problem is rather one of insufficient raw material -- coconut shells -- for use in the production.

Although his small factory is situated in Songkhla, where coconuts are abundant, Mr Piya found that a large number of them were sold as whole fruit nationwide and the shells were scattered around the country.

Even in cases where the coconuts are peeled in the South, the shells are used as fuel in factories producing goods like bricks or earthenware. The shells are also increasingly used in handicraft products, leaving only a small number available for briquette production.

Mr Piya, also a part-time lecturer at Songkhla Rajabhat Institute, said securing the raw material was the biggest challenge, as the available supply could meet only a fraction of the full capacity of 35 tonnes per month.

He said several potential customers sought a combined amount of over 1,000 tonnes a month but there was not enough raw material to fulfill the orders. As a result, he has worked with Chulalongkorn University to research for substituted raw materials.