Friday, September 22, 2006
N. Mindanao coco exports up 85%
AT LEAST 146,638.79 metric tons of coconut export commodities have been posted in Northern Mindanao during the first quarter of 2006, up by 85 percent compared to 79,079.30 metric tons in the same period of 2005.
Data gathered by the National Economic and Development Authority (Neda), Northern Mindanao show that among these commodities, Crude Coconut Oil posted the highest increase of 220 percent in volume, from 26,601.01MT to 85,224.85MT, Neda Northern Mindanao Regional Director Myra V. Balandra said.
This was followed by Refined Glycerin, which posted an increase of 121 percent, from 434 metric tons to 958.3 metric tons, Coconut Milk Powder by 46 percent, from 273.69 metric tons to 400.83 metric tons, Copra Meal/Pellets by 32 percent, from 32,015.74 metric tons to 42,398.24 metric tons and Coco Cream by 25 percent, from 501.81 metric tons to 628.72 metric tons.
Included in list of the products are Ordinary Coconut Oil, Organic Coconut Oil, Virgin Coconut Oil, copra residues, desiccated coconuts, coco shell charcoal, coco chips, coconut water, coco husk chips, fat coconut and coconut fiber.
The coconut chemicals, also in the list are as follows: Alkyl Methyl Amine, Diethyl Lauryl Amine, Estamet ME 502, Farmin, Fatty Alcohol, Kalcol and Map 20 Flakes.
These products, Balandra said, posted a "free-on-board" (FOB) value of US$66,738,959.40, up by 67 percent from an FOB of US$40,038,511.85 in the first quarter in 2005.
Highest increase
By FOB, the products are loaded in the Philippines but payments are made by the country where they are exported.
"It is still Crude Coconut Oil which posted the highest increase of 167 percent in FOB value, from US$16,584,269.66 to US$44,222,108.55, followed by Refined Glycerine which also went up by 124 percent, from US$341,732 to US$763,778," she said.
Coconut Milk Powder also posted an increase in FOB of 38 percent, from US$747,583.50 to US$1,034,776.50 while Coco Cream rose by 18 percent, from US$547,280 to US$646,278.28.
Meanwhile, energy independence is a permanent feature of the country's national policy as laid down by the Arroyo Administration and Congress must help in coping with the challenges of rising oil prices as government continues to search for alternative fuel sources.
The volatility of world prices ad pockets of instability in the Middle East and Africa -- and the finite supply of fossil fuels - must drive all government agencies, institutions ad communities to search and exploit all alternative sources of energy for the next generations. Congress is then urged to lay down the legal framework of energy independence because it becomes imperative and pressing for every passing day that the country has to cope with the challenge of rising oil prices. (Trends)
(September 22, 2006 issue)
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