Copra, common name for the dried endosperm, or meaty inner lining, of the coconut, the fruit of the coconut palm. Copra is the principal commercial product derived from the coconut palm, and is used mainly as a source of coconut oil (high-quality copra contains about 60 to 65 percent oil) or shredded for use in candies and baked goods. The major producing nations are the Philippines, India, and Indonesia, where coconut palms are grown on large plantations. Copra is also a significant export product in smaller tropical countries such as Sri Lanka and the Seychelles.

Copra processing usually begins with removal of the coconut’s thick outer husk. The husk is either discarded or used for itsfiber, called coir, in making brushes, ropes, matting, and upholstery filling. The coconut is then split in half, either manually or by machine. To make it easier to separate the copra from the shell, the halves are partially dried. They are either left in the sun or baked in ovens, which are fueled in part by discarded coconut shells and husks. To remove the oil, copra is pulverized between rollers, steamed, and subjected to a pressure of about 500 kg per sq cm (about 6500 lb per sq in). The remaining residue serves as feed for livestock.

The oil is subsequently refined, either by the producing country or by the importer. Coconut oil makes up about 20 percent of all vegetable oils used in the world. It is a common ingredient in margarines, vegetable shortenings, salad oils, and confections. Coconut oil is used in the manufacture of soaps, detergents, and shampoos because it has high levels of lauric acid, an ingredient that gives soap a quick-lathering property. The oil is used in cosmetics, candles, glycerin, synthetic rubber, and as a plasticizer (a substance added to glues, epoxies, lacquers, and other compounds to provide flexibility).