“The Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA) Governing Board did not lift the exports of matured coconut,” Agriculture Secretary William Dar announced during the launching of the 2019 PAJ-SMC Binhi Awards on December 3, 2019.
In a meeting on Monday, December 2, Dar mentioned that the PCA Governing Board agreed not to lift the ban of export of matured coconuts based on the results of their consultations with various stakeholders including traders that took place within two to three months.
“I was told by the PCA Board na tumataas na rin ang presyo ng copra from a low of P2 per kilo to P5 per kilo, the farmgate now is at P19-P20 per kilo and mill gate of P25-P26 per kilo. One of the measures that we have ordered the PCA to do is to do help copra farmers and associations/cooperatives to do ‘direct copra’ marketing,” Dar explained.
He said, based on a report submitted by the PCA, the board decided not to support the lifting because the move is against the medium to long term directions of the department on enhancing more value-adding activities in the country.
Dar said the board would not like the coco genetics to be copied in a bigger way by other countries.
“We will sustain the competitive variety of many cultivars today. Based on the consultations that we had mas marami ang may ayaw na mag-export ng mature coconuts” Dar said.
“We will enhance developing the coconut industry, again not just with copra and coconut oil, but to aim for high-value-added products,” he added.
Dar said the PCA will go for a massive fertilization program starting next year adding that the program should be guided with good agricultural practices and balanced fertilization.
He said the PCA will do massive intercropping of coconuts and replanting to replace about 100 million coconut trees. PCA has upscaled into new technologies for tissue culture including somatic embryogenesis, that targets to produce more than 100 plantlets.
“We will go for upscaling, go for massive replanting and intercropping, and go for more partnership with private sector,” Dar said.
The Agri chief also plans to establish more enterprise development for coconut products like the “Coco Quest” in Quezon Province. He said business incubation is the key to develop the coconut industry. ### (Kristel Merle, DA-AFID)
