Sava’ii, Samoa

The photo shows Leo and Cecilia’s big drier is part of their oil production unit which converts piles of nuts (in the background and being held by Cecilia) into sweet smelling virgin coconut oil.

"We have the biggest DME drier in Samoa!" boast Leo and Cecilia, pictured recently at their production unit. "And a big drier means we can make lots of oil — which is what we like doing!" explains Leo. "The DME virgin coconut oil is the best around and making it is a wonderful business for us," says Leo. "We have loads of coconuts that are nearly worthless as copra and we also have members of our extended family needing a good job. We work as a team and enjoy seeing our hard work change a pile of coconuts into crystal clear sweet smelling oil that has so many uses. The other good news is that we burn coconut shells and husks as the fuel for the drier," Cecilia goes on to say, "We sell it in the village shop as traditional Samoan skin moisturiser and as healthy cooking oil. The surplus is exported. Everyone benefits from the enterprise."

Samoa has some of the most fertile land in all Polynesia. The coconut palms certainly grow exceptionally well in the volcanic soils around Leo and Cecilia’s production unit – it can be difficult to tell where the coconut grove ends and the rainforest begins! Their land has produced abundant crops without the use of fertilisers or chemicals for many years and is now in the process of being officially certified Organic by NASAA, the lead certification body in Australia.