| Abstract: | Coconut oil prices will exert much influence on synthetic fatty acid commercialization; if domestic oil prices maintain at 12–13¢/lb, demand for coco acids and derivatives could triple during the next three years; however, at an oil price of 22–24¢/lb, about 90% of domestic research and development on lauric acid products would be dropped. Synthetic fatty acids could hold the market if they can be commercialized near present prices. Proportionally higher food uses will be evident for coconut oil for the next several years. Increased demand for short chain (C5–C9) acids in high temperature synthetic lubricants, estimated to grow from the present 25 million lb/year to 50 million lb/year by 1973, will exert an increased demand. |
