Phl aims to be among top 3 coco coir exporters

MANILA, Philippines - The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) and the Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA) are aiming to make the country among the top three exporters of coco coir in three years.

“By 2016, we intend to place the country’s coco coir industry in the world’s top three exporters of coco coir,” DTI undersecretary Merly Cruz said.

Coco coir is a natural fiber extracted from coconut husk used in products like upholstery padding, mattresses, floor mats, doormats, strings, ropes, nets, and brushes.

To meet the objective, the country has to earn $50 million from exports of coco coir as well as P1.7 billion from domestic sales by 2016.

According to the PCA, the Philippines is lagging behind other Asian countries such as Sri Lanka, India, Thailand and Indonesia in terms of coconut production and volume of coir product exports.

It noted that the Philippines produces only 6,037 metric tons (MT) of coco coir products for export out of the 15.245 billion nuts harvested from 3.562 million hectares of land in a year.

On the other hand, Sri Lanka produces 120,616 MT of coco coir for the export market from the 395,000 hectares of land that produces 2.707 billion nuts.

To make the country one of the biggest exporters of coco coir, Cruz said the domestic supply-base will have to be developed and expanded.

Access to domestic and market information will also have to be improved.

Major export markets for coco coir and peat products are China, Japan and Taiwan.

Cruz said strengthening the market linkage among players within the value chain is also necessary to meet the target.

The Philippine Coco Coir Exporters Association Inc. said earlier that an executive order (EO) creating the Philippine Coco Coir Industry Development Council (PCCIDC) has already been finalized and is awaiting approval of President Aquino.

The EO creating the PCCIDC intends to promote the development of the coco coir industry through expanding value-adding and exports.