Pili nut ready for global market

The country's very own pili nut may soon find itself competing against almonds, pecan, walnuts, and macadamia nuts in the highly global competitive confectioneries market.

That is, if government is willing to invest P212 million in a massive pili tree planting project to allow the country to meet the growing demand for the product.

Agricultural development planners of Region 5 have unveiled a six-year master plan aimed at fully developing the native pili's vast commercial and industrial potentials and in the process convert typhoon-prone Bicol into the world's top producer of pili nuts and by-products.

One of their goals is to allow pili to penetrate the multi-billion dollar global confectioneries industry dominated by Europe and the United States. They want the indigenous nut to find its place inside every Cadbury, Van Houten, Nestle, and other popular chocolate brands, now occupied by almond, pecan, walnut, macadamia, and pistachio, among others.

In a program document submitted to the Department of Agriculture, it was noted that pili stands a good chance of dislodging macadamia in the world market because of its tastier meat.

They said that if Hawaii has emerged as the top macadamia producer in the world, so can the Philippines be for pili nut.

The proposal was presented as Bicol's investment and development focus under the strategic agriculture and fisheries development zone (SAFDZ) concept espoused by Republic Act 435 or the Agriculture and Fisheries Modernization Act authored by then Senate president and now Agriculture Secretary Edgardo Angara.

The proponents noted that given its bright export and local market potentials, the pili project is the best agri-investment proposal Bicol can offer to local and foreign businessmen willing to participate in the region's farm modernization thrust.

For the vision to turn to reality, an initial P153 million is needed for planting of pili trees. While demand has picked up, production cannot cope as planted area has shrank 4.9 percent yearly from 1,615 hectares in 1990 to 1,245 hectares in 1995.

Advocates of the project, which include the governors of Albay, Catanduanes, Camarines Sur, and Sorsogon, said another P55 million will be needed for post-harvest and infrastructure support, particularly for the establishment of pili technology centers and installation of processing equipment.

On top of these, the project requires P2.3 million for research and development and another P1.5 million for market development and promotion.

Pili, of which 71.5 percent comes from Bicol, is one of the top seven agricultural exports of the Philippines. It has already found its way to Guam, Australia, Canada, and the United States, while European countries have expressed strong commercial interest in it.