A study shows that the Marshall Islands coconut processing factory is operating at less than fourty percent of its capacity because of a shortage of copra.
The review, which was funded by the Asian Development Bank, says the main problem is poor shipping and the lack of processing factory's involvement in transporting copra.
The report says while copra production has declined throughout most of the Marshall Islands, Aur Atoll has significantly increased production.
It says this was made possible by the small atoll establishing its own trading company and ship service operation.
Copra is the main source of income for about a third of the 55-thousand people of the Marshalls.