In support to the local coconut farmers, the Department of Agriculture (DA) thru its attached corporation, Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA) started a marketing initiative to ease price slump and over supply of coconut.

Agriculture Secretary Manny F. Piñol, together with Undersecretary for Operations Ariel T. Cayanan, PCA OIC-Administrator Glenn B. Santos, and Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) Chairman Danny Lim led the launching ceremony of the Summer Coco Fest in the National Capital Region (NCR) on March 14, 2019 at the DA’s Agribusiness Development Center (ADC), Elliptical Road, Diliman, Quezon City.

“If half of our total population will consume one green coconut every week, we are estimating reduction of about 2.4 billion (B) nuts per year,” Piñol said.

The Coco Fest was conceptualized following the directives of the Secretary, urging offices and agencies under DA to serve coconut water along with other fruit juices during meetings, as well as other DA-sponsored events all over the country.

“It will take some time before we fully implement to institutionalize changes, but what we are aiming are lasting effects to our coconut industry,” Piñol said.

According to Piñol, aside from helping coconut farmers, the program aims to provide livelihood assistance and income generation to poor families in the Metro Manila, along with the Out-of-School Youth and students who want to have additional income this summer.

As such, the DA thru the Agricultural Credit Policy Council (DA-ACPC) will provide loan assistance as operating capital for “Buko Salesmen.”

“DA will provide 1 unit of multi-cab or small cargo truck for two families or 1 multi-cab for four Out-of-School Youth,” Piñol said.

“We can provide maximum offer of P200,000 per farmers’ association with 6 percent (%) interest every year,” he added.

To accommodate all inquiries for the credit facility, the DA-ACPC set up a help desk to accept applications from the interested farmers’ organizations and validate them thru geo-tagging during the event.

The agri chief asked support and assistance from the MMDA to allow “buko salesmen” sell their products at strategic areas.

“While we wanted to help farmers, we also need to create a system without violating implemented laws caused by impeding traffics,” Piñol said.

“Di naman bawal ang magnegosyo basta nasa ayos at tamang lugar sila ng pagbebentahan,” MMDA Chairman Lim said.

Lim expressed his support to the program as it is a practical approach towards the real problem of coconut farmers. He said he will discuss the matter during the Metro Manila Mayors Council meeting to identify selling areas and discuss possible solutions on the waste disposal of coconut shells.

Meanwhile, Piñol said the department is moving toward improving coconut industry by establishing village-level processing facility and replant varieties suitable for high value coco products.

“For so long, we have not lifted our coco farmers from merely producers of raw materials to processors or merchandisers of high value coco products,” Piñol said.

As such, he committed shredding machine and decorticating machine for Kaanib Coco Farmers of Cavite.

“Farmers will also be provided with trainings on processing coconuts such as coco sugar, coco coir, virgin coconut oil and a lot more,” Piñol said.

The Department opened a “Coco-Buko TienDA’ in front of ADC Showroom to allow Metro Manila consumers avail fresh buko and other coconut products from the CALABARZON Region from March 14 to May 2019.

Simultaneously, a coconut-inspired exhibit was also displayed at DA ADC Showroom and PCA Lobby.

On March 21, the DA regional offices will simultaneously launch their respective Coconut Marketing Areas to officially jumpstart the “Go Loco with Buko” marketing program for all government agencies particularly the local government units (LGUs), Department of Health (DOH), Department of Education (DEPED), and Commission on Higher Education (CHED). This is also in support to their advocacy for a presidential declaration of making ‘coconut water as the national drink.’ ### (Kristel Merle, DA-AFID)