Bags of copra stacked for weighing at the Tobolar Copra Processing Authority milling plant in Majuro Photo: Marshall Islands Journal

The record-setting pace of copra production in the Marshall Islands has ground to a halt with the dengue fever outbreak stalling most outer island transport.

A travel ban brought in by the government in August to stop the spread of dengue also ceased regular copra pickups by local vessels.

The ban means copra production for the 2019 financial year will fall short of the record of over 7700 tonnes set in 1995 – despite the fast production pace earlier in the year.

With the government maintaining a copra price, outer islanders had been producing copra like never before, however getting it to market has now become the problem.

The amount of copra delivered to the factory in Majuro last month fell to the lowest monthly total this financial year.

Nearly 7000 tonnes of copra was processed from October last year through to 31 August.

The Marshalls have only produced more than 7000 tonnes in a year five times.