Mirissa coastal coconut plantation soil terroir: copra drying kilns and coconut oil extraction?

Coconut cultivation along the sandy coastal belt of Mirissa benefits from well-draining regosol soils infused with maritime salt minerals, yielding high-oil-content coconuts. To process copra (dried coconut kernel), mature nuts are halved and laid out across open sun-drying concrete yards (or smoke kilns fueled by dry coconut husks) for 5 to 7 days. As moisture drops below 6%, the white meat shrinks away from the hard shell cleanly. Dried copra is then pressed inside mechanical expellers to extract virgin coconut oil rich in lauric acid.