Copra Products Control
COPRA PRODUCTS CONTROL ACT

CHAPTER 64:30

LAWS OF TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO

Current Authorised Pages
Pages Authorised

(inclusive) by L.R.O.
1–10 ..

L.R.O.

Act
1!of!1932

Amended!by
11!of!1933
4!of!1934
18!of!1938
41!of!1972
45!of!1979

51/1980
146/1982
3/1983

37!of!1989
6!of!1991

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LAWS OF TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO

2 Chap. 64:30 Copra Products Control

Index of Subsidiary Legislation

Page
Price of Copra Notification (LN 29/1991) … … … … … 10

Note on Adaptation
Under paragraph 6 of the Second Schedule to the Law Revision Act (Ch. 3.03) the Commission
amended certain references to public officers in this Chapter. The Minister’s approval of the
amendments was signified by LN 52/1980, but no marginal reference is made to this Notice
where any such amendment is made in the text.

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LAWS OF TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO

Copra Products Control Chap. 64:30 3

CHAPTER 64:30

COPRA PRODUCTS CONTROL ACT

ARRANGEMENT OF SECTIONS

SECTION

1. Short title.
2. Interpretation.
3. Power to apply Order to other products.
4. Licence to manufacture copra products.

Expiration and renewal of licences.
Licence duty.

5.
6.

7. Minister may fix standards of quality and prices of copra products.
Penalty for selling below standard or above price fixed.

8. Price to be paid by manufacturer for copra and for crude coconut oil.
Minister may suspend operation of this section.

9. Deposit by manufacturer on copra or crude coconut oil purchased.
10. Purchases for future delivery.
11. Sums deposited to go to fund for distribution among producers.
12. Quarterly return by manufacturers.
13. Comptroller may inspect and take extracts from records.
14. Penalty for manufacturing without licence.
15. Penalty for contravention of conditions of licence.
16. Discharge of obligation by manufacturer.
17. Penalty for making false or incorrect statement.

(Repealed by Act No. 37 of 1989).}

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4 Chap. 64:30 Copra Products Control

CHAPTER 64:30

COPRA PRODUCTS CONTROL ACT

An Act relating to the manufacture of deodorised edible oil,
lard substitute and other products obtained from the
kernel of the coconut.

[27TH FEBRUARY 1932]

1. This Act may be cited as the Copra Products Control Act.

2. In this Act—
“Comptroller” means the Comptroller of Customs and Excise, and

includes any officer of Customs and Excise or other person
deputed by the Comptroller for the purpose of carrying out
any of the provisions of this Act;

“copra products” means deodorised edible oil, lard substitute, and
such other products as the Minister shall by Order include
under such designation, which products shall be obtained by
process of manufacture wholly or in part from the kernel of
the coconut;

“deodorised edible oil” means any edible oil manufactured in
Trinidad and Tobago from copra and which, during the
process of manufacture, has been subjected to any treatment
for removing the characteristic odour and flavour of the
crude oil;

“lard substitute” means any edible fat manufactured in Trinidad
and Tobago from copra in imitation of lard;

“manufacturer” means and includes any person superintending or
directing the manufacture of copra products in connection
with any one manufactory, duly licensed under this Act.

3. The Minister may by Order include under the description
of “copra products” for the purposes of this Act, any other product
derived or manufactured wholly or in part from copra or the kernel
of the coconut.

1950 Ed.
Ch. 32 No. 13.
1 of 1932.

Commencement.

Short title.

Interpretation.

Power to apply
Order to other
products.

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Copra Products Control Chap. 64:30 5

4. (1) Every person who intends to become a manufacturer
of copra products under this Act, shall apply to the Minister for a
licence, and the Minister may refuse to grant such licence, without
assigning any reason for such refusal, or issue any licence subject
to such conditions as he may impose.

(2) Every licence under this Act shall expire at the end of
the calendar year in which it is issued. An application for the
renewal of a licence shall be considered as an application for a
new licence and dealt with in accordance with this section.

(3) A duty of twenty-five dollars shall be paid for every
licence and for each renewal thereof.

5.
6.

7. (1) The Minister may by Notification prescribe standards
of quality, and fix maximum wholesale and retail prices for any
copra products manufactured under the provisions of this Act and
intended to be sold for consumption in Trinidad and Tobago.

(2) Any person who sells or exposes for sale any copra
product which is below the prescribed standard of quality, or who
sells any copra product at a higher price than that fixed by
Notification hereunder, is liable on summary conviction to a fine
of two thousand dollars, and to the forfeiture of all copra
products which have been found to be below the prescribed standard
of quality.

8. (1) The manufacturer shall pay for all copra delivered to
him not less than such price as the Minister, in his absolute
discretion, may by Notification from time to time fix (having regard
to the current local market price and other conditions prevailing in
Port-of-Spain) which price shall be published weekly in the Gazette,
and become effective from the day following the date of
publication, but if in any week the price is not published, then the
last published price shall continue to be the price fixed.

Licence to
manufacture
copra products.
[51/1980].

Expiration
and renewal
of licences.

Licence duty.

Minister may fix
standards of
quality and
prices of copra
products.

Penalty for
selling below
standard or
above price
fixed.

Price to be paid
by manufacturer
for copra, and
for crude
coconut oil.
[6 of 1991].

(Repealed by Act No. 37 of 1989).}

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6 Chap. 64:30 Copra Products Control

(2) The manufacturer shall pay an equivalent sum for all
crude coconut oil purchased by him, and for the purpose of
computing the purchase price, forty-five kilograms of copra shall
be deemed to be equal to thirty litres of crude coconut oil.

(3) The Minister may by Notification suspend the
operation of this section if he is satisfied that supplies are being
withheld from the manufacturer with a view to securing a price
higher than would be secured were supplies of copra to be freely
offered to the manufacturer.

9. (1) Where the price fixed under section 8 is at a lower
rate than three dollars and thirty cents per forty-five kilograms,
the manufacturer shall deposit with the Comptroller a sum
representing the difference between the said rate of three dollars
and thirty cents and the said price so fixed, in respect of each
forty-five kilograms of copra purchased by the manufacturer.
However, in the case of copra used in the manufacture of copra
products exported, such sum shall not exceed six cents for each
forty-five kilograms of such copra.

(2) In the case of the purchase of crude coconut oil, the
manufacturer shall make a like deposit based upon the formula set
out in section 8(2).

10. When a manufacturer has entered into a contract for the
purchase and the future delivery of copra within a period not
exceeding three months from the date of such contract then, for
the purposes of sections 8 and 9, the price fixed by the Minister in
accordance with section 8(1) for the week in which the contract
was entered into shall apply to such contract as if delivery of the
copra so purchased had been made immediately, and section 9 shall
apply accordingly.

11. (1) All such sums paid to the Comptroller as mentioned
above shall be paid to the credit of a special fund and shall from
time to time be distributed proportionately among all producers of
copra who submit claims within the time and in the manner

Minister may
suspend
operation of
this section.

Deposit by
manufacturer on
copra or crude
coconut oil
purchased.

Purchases for
future delivery.

Sums deposited
to go to fund for
distribution
among
producers.

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Copra Products Control Chap. 64:30 7

specified by the Comptroller by Notification, subject to such
deduction as the Comptroller may consider necessary for and
incidental to the management of such fund.

(2) For the purposes of this section “producers of copra”
means the persons who in the first instance have converted into
copra the kernel of the dry coconut, whether such coconut has
been actually grown or acquired by such persons.

(3) Every producer of copra shall, in support of any claim
submitted by him, produce to the Comptroller within such time as
the Comptroller may require all books of account, receipts,
vouchers and other documents in his custody containing material
particulars touching such claim.

(4) Any producer of copra who—
(a) fails to produce to the Comptroller all such books

of account, receipts, vouchers and other
documents as mentioned above;

(b) produces any books of account, receipts, vouchers
or other documents false in any material
particular; or

(c) submits any claim containing any statement false
or incorrect in any material particular,

shall not be entitled to participate in the distribution of the fund in
respect of which the claim was submitted.

(5) In the event of the fund for any period having been
distributed to the exclusion of any claimant on the ground of the
alleged falsity of his claim or of any matter in support thereof and
it being made to appear thereafter that such claim or matter in
support thereof was not false in fact, then in every such case the
claimant shall in respect of such claim be entitled to participate in
the distribution of the fund for a succeeding period and to be paid
such sum as he would otherwise have received.

12. Within ten days from the last day of each quarter of the
year, each licensed manufacturer shall furnish the Comptroller
with a return under the hand of a director or other responsible

Quarterly
return by
manufacturers.

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8 Chap. 64:30 Copra Products Control

officer in the employ of the manufacturer, containing the
following particulars:

(a) the quantities of all copra purchased during
such quarter;

(b) the persons from whom the said copra has
been purchased;

(c) the several dates on which the said copra has
been purchased;

(d) the amount due to the Comptroller under
section 9;

(e) the total quantities of each of the different copra
products manufactured;

(f) the quantities exported;
(g) the quantities delivered for consumption in

Trinidad and Tobago;
(h) the quantities remaining on hand; and
(i) such other particulars as the Comptroller may by

written notice require to be furnished.

13. The Comptroller shall from time to time have power to
inspect and take extracts from or copies of all books of account,
invoices, receipts, vouchers, and other documents and papers
containing material particulars of all matters touching this Act,
and which may be necessary for the manufacturer, and to enter at
all reasonable hours and inspect the premises of the manufacturer.

14. Any person who engages in the manufacture of copra
products without having in force a licence for the purpose, as
required by this Act, is liable on summary conviction to a fine of
four thousand dollars, and all machinery, implements, utensils,
materials and any copra products found upon the premises where
such manufacture has been carried on shall be forfeited.

15. Any manufacturer who contravenes the conditions under
which any licence is issued under this Act is liable on summary
conviction to a fine of four thousand dollars, and the Minister may
suspend or revoke the licence of any such manufacturer.

Comptroller
may inspect and
take extracts
from records.

Penalty for
manufacturing
without licence.

Penalty for
contravention
of conditions
of licence.

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Copra Products Control Chap. 64:30 9

Discharge of
obligation by
manufacturer.

Penalty for
making false
or incorrect
statement.
[45 of 1979].

16. The discharge by one of several manufacturers connected
with one manufactory of any one obligation imposed on a
manufacturer by this Act, shall relieve the others of that particular
obligation in respect of that manufactory.

17. Any person who knowingly makes a false or incorrect
statement for any of the purposes of this Act is liable on summary
conviction to a fine of four thousand dollars.

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10 Chap. 64:30 Copra Products Control

SUBSIDIARY LEGISLATION

PRICE OF COPRA NOTIFICATION

made under section 8(1)

IT IS HEREBY NOTIFIED in accordance with section 8(1) of the Copra
Products Control Act that the price to be paid by a manufacturer
for all copra delivered to the manufacturer is fixed at one hundred
and twenty-one dollars per forty-five kilograms.

This Notification is deemed to have come into force on the
1st January, 1991.

29/1991.

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