Unfreeze coco funds – farmers

The leader of a group claiming to represent 3.4 million coconut farmers and agricultural workers called on President Estrada yesterday to issue an executive order "unfreezing" billions of pesos in coconut levy funds.

Efren Villaseñor, president of the Pambansang Koalisyon ng Magsasaka and Manggagawa sa Niyugan, told a press conference the Chief Executive can save the country’s coconut industry if he signs the executive order.

"Only an executive order from President Estrada creating the coconut levy fund would save 3.4 million coconut farmers and their 18 million dependents from hunger and poverty," he said.

Villaseñor said the price of copra has "gone from bad to worse," dropping from P4 to P3 a kilo in farms.

"At present, a coconut farmer is earning only P300 per hectare," he said. "This means that a coconut farmer only earned P8 daily because of the very low prices of copra."

Under a draft executive order, at least 27 percent or P50 billion of the coconut levy fund will reportedly be used to revitalize the coconut industry.

Villaseñor also called on the government to control the entry to the country of palm oil and other coconut oil substitutes into boost the prices of copra.

"The entry of palm oil in the country has resulted in the decrease in the use of the coconut oil from 26 percent to only less than 10 percent," he said. –Jose Rodel Clapano