150-ha coco estate planned

MANILA, Philippines - The Department of Agriculture (DA) through the Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA) is mulling the creation of a 150-hectare industrial coconut estate to encourage investments in the coconut industry and establish the Philippines as the “center of coconut oil trade in Asia.”

“What (Agriculture) Secretary Alcala and I were talking about is the creation of an industrial estate that contains all the support needed by the coconut industry,” said PCA administrator Euclides Forbes, adding “The goal is to have a center of coconut oil market in Asia. That will give our oil a good price.” 

The creation of a coconut industrial estate would also provide for the value-addding of coconut commodities.

Forbes said the country’s coconut commodity exports continue to be used as raw materials but the government is now laying the groundwork for the production of high value products from coconut such as health products and personal care products.

Philippine coconut exports include copra, coconut oil, copra meal, desiccated coconut, coco shell charcoal, activated carbon,and coco chemicals.

Among the locations considered for the planned industrial estate is the province of Quezon, a prime coconut producing province. Forbes said other provinces are also being considered.

Other details of the planned coconut industrial estate are still being deliberated on.  

The creation of the industrial estate would be pursued as part of the Coconut Industry Development Roadmap.