Coconut Milk

[sometime]

Anyone know what’s causing a shortage of coconut milk, even Makro, Tesco and Best supermarket shelves are empty

[Farangdong]

I was wondering the same, in Ubon it is already more than 1 month that one cannot find coconut milk anywhere... that's weird considering the amount of coconuts palms in Thailand

Anybody can enlighten us?

Edited December 12, 2010 by Farangdong

[softgeorge]

Won't find any on the supermarket shelves in Chiangmai either. My wife did however find a small packet at a local market today normally 14 bht in the supermarkets but she paid 25 bht for it. It is even difficult to get the fresh stuff and the prices are also nearly double. Some people have been saying it is because of the recent floods

[sbk]

Price of coconuts is quite high, higher than I have seen it in 22 years of dealing with the FIL's coconuts. Suspect this is because the price of coconuts dropped in the toilet about 10 years ago and everyone started switching to rubber and palm and am guessing that that, combined with the coconut beetle devastating trees awhile back, has led to a coconut shortage and the increasing prices my FIL gets for his coconuts now.

[cardholder]

This has been known for sometime.

Two months ago Chaokoh told UK importers that they would only have enough supply for the domestic Thai market.

I wish I had stock-piled at that time !

[moetownblues]

This has been known for sometime.

Two months ago Chaokoh told UK importers that they would only have enough supply for the domestic Thai market.

I wish I had stock-piled at that time !

seem they don't have enough for even the domestic market now. we can't buy it anywhere. What is thailand without coconut milk.

[moetownblues]

My wife has been doing the rounds of the local mum & pop stores, they still have some stock well did, my wife has been buying as much as she can and at the old price she has stockpiled 38 cartons so far. Have told her enough.

[Khun Jean]

Finally the few rai of coconut plantation is going to pay off.

The latest healthy 'virgin cold pressed' coconut oil is probably another reason.

It sells for a much higher price.

[puipuitom]

I am importing coconut milk in cans from Thailand already since 1995. Not even ONE of my Thai suppliers gave me ANY explanation, market update, present and expected situation. NOTHING. As so often Thai Marketing & Sales think, their business is only to empty their in-mail box and forward it to production, with at the end send invoice etc to their overseas buyers.

24 Dec I asked my supplier to verify their proices, so they confirmed 28th . I placed two orders 28th , got confirmation back 28th .. and heard.. 4 Jan.. " Oh solly, cannot anymo', must inclrease plice ".

From other sources I heard, Thai simply neglected their trees, and did nothing in crop protection. Result, now a beetle took ground, and is eating the fruit knots.

Result: Thailand has to import LOTS ( over 1 million raw coconuts a WEEK .. from.. wherever they can get. So big risk to import diseases from outside, like Kerala wilt disease phytoplasma. This could wipe out Thai coconut.

Another: import - of course, Thai way of thinking - the cheapest coconut meat from Vietnam, inclusive all contaminations ( why you think, so many overseas buyers buy from Thailand and NOT from Vietnam ? ). So, big chance, they are going to harm Thai reputation for the coming decade.

For you as consumer: buy " OLD" canned / in tetra coconut milk, at least production date a 4 months ago.

[sbk]

Well, you heard wrong puipuitom. As the daughter in law of a major coconut grower living on coconut island, the beetle issue had more to do with the wholesale killing of squirrels by imported labor than by neglect (how the heck do you neglect a coconut tree??) and the low numbers of trees had more to do with growers switching to palm and rubber when the price of coconuts hit a new low about 10 years ago.

[nisakiman]

Blimey!

Only just saw this thread. There's only one shop that sells decent coconut milk on this island - I'd better get over there and clean out their stock while I still can!

[MJP]

Without realizing there was a shortage I tried to buy 8 litres for the old womans cafe the other day in Makro. Limited to 4 litres each customer, still only 216 Baht total. That was the last of it I think.

[lopburi3]

There is indeed a severe infestation eating the top of coconut trees and is has been widely reported in the Thai press/TV/grapevine. Current supply is using imported coconuts but can not make up the shortfall. Many trees are being destroyed at present to stop this and the time frame for new trees to equal production is expected to be about eight years. It is likely to get much worse before it gets better from most accounts the wife has heard.

[Panhandler007]

Coconut milk mafia!

[NamKAheng]

Don't know why but no shortage of Thai coconut milk on the shelf in Canada.

[mshuong]

The same coconut milk in Vietnam,the best food for the ladies.

[PhuketFm]

I'm going to talk about this Coconut Milk shortage on Monday's Breakfast show 8am-noon on 91.5FM, www.phuketfmradio.com check it out

[afarang]

Lopburi is quite correct .Disease has killed thousands of Palms. Which will have to be replanted, Sadly ,it takes 8 to 10 years before they bear at full bore. So , the likelihood is that shortages of Coconut products will be felt for many years.

[kenmackie]

I don't know you are in Canada, but quality (Aroy-d ) has been in short supply for a few months in BC

Don't know why but no shortage of Thai coconut milk on the shelf in Canada.

[meatboy]

yesterday opened a pkt.coco.milk just like water,you used to get quite a thick cream around the pkt not any more.

[bkkjames]

If you aggitate the container the water will mix with the creamy part that is usually found at the top. I am careful to open mine to get just the cream I want first for frying to release the oils. Then I use the remaing water to thin out the curry for example adding more as needed.

[David006]

If you aggitate the container the water will mix with the creamy part that is usually found at the top. I am careful to open mine to get just the cream I want first for frying to release the oils. Then I use the remaing water to thin out the curry for example adding more as needed.

yes the tetrapack stuff seems to be in short supply,can always find the ground coconut at markets though.(used to be a guy in Kata market with a fancy scraping and squishing/squeezing machine and you could order virgin first squeeze or secondary.. ).

wifey pours hot water over grounds and squishes and wrings it by hand then gives the pulp to the plants or dogs...she says the boxed stuff is only good for certain Thai dishes anyways ( "not good..not fresh..maybe chemicals..too much water")..for good curries "must use fresh".

...I made one of those seats with ss scraper blade for use with coconuts from MILs or sisters house..

[fredob43]

If you aggitate the container the water will mix with the creamy part that is usually found at the top. I am careful to open mine to get just the cream I want first for frying to release the oils. Then I use the remaing water to thin out the curry for example adding more as needed.

yes the tetrapack stuff seems to be in short supply,can always find the ground coconut at markets though.(used to be a guy in Kata market with a fancy scraping and squishing/squeezing machine and you could order virgin first squeeze or secondary.. ).

wifey pours hot water over grounds and squishes and wrings it by hand then gives the pulp to the plants or dogs...she says the boxed stuff is only good for certain Thai dishes anyways ( "not good..not fresh..maybe chemicals..too much water")..for good curries "must use fresh".

...I made one of those seats with ss scraper blade for use with coconuts from MILs or sisters house..

Was in the local super market the other day and there was load's of the carton's Adroy-D + in the market you can still get it fresh price not gone up so the G/L tell's me. I live mid Thailand here it doesnt seem a problem. Time will tell.

[MrRed]

If you aggitate the container the water will mix with the creamy part that is usually found at the top. I am careful to open mine to get just the cream I want first for frying to release the oils. Then I use the remaing water to thin out the curry for example adding more as needed.

yes the tetrapack stuff seems to be in short supply,can always find the ground coconut at markets though.(used to be a guy in Kata market with a fancy scraping and squishing/squeezing machine and you could order virgin first squeeze or secondary.. ).

wifey pours hot water over grounds and squishes and wrings it by hand then gives the pulp to the plants or dogs...she says the boxed stuff is only good for certain Thai dishes anyways ( "not good..not fresh..maybe chemicals..too much water")..for good curries "must use fresh".

...I made one of those seats with ss scraper blade for use with coconuts from MILs or sisters house..

Was in the local super market the other day and there was load's of the carton's Adroy-D + in the market you can still get it fresh price not gone up so the G/L tell's me. I live mid Thailand here it doesnt seem a problem. Time will tell.

We was talking 5/6 months ago that there was the shortage now it is back on the shelves at the normal price, in fact take a look at Coconut oils price,i am sure there is a master plan somewhere!