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Monday, August 22, 2005
P10M aid to help farmers use their coconuts
TO address the growing demand for coconut products in Cebu and the rest of the region, the Provincial Government of Cebu has allotted P10 million for the creation of a seed garden.
Through the Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA), Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia has given the farmers in the south of Cebu a budget for this nine-year program.
PCA Regional Manager Gilbert Barraquias said they have identified a 30-hectare lot for the seed garden in Cagay, Barili.
The lot is within the compound of the Cebu State College of Science and Technology (CSCST), which will also help in the upkeep of the garden.
The seed garden will be planted with four different kinds of coconut trees.
Sweet prospects
Barraquias said the farmers will be planting Cynvar, which will be used for hybrid planting materials; Kabuwig, which produces macapuno; Catigan, which bears the sweetest coconuts; and Aromatic, which gives the best juice that restaurant owners demand.
The profits will be divided among the farmers and CSCST, which is in charged of rehabilitating the soil and keeping it healthy.
Barraquias said that since this is a nine-year project, on its 10th year, the Provincial Government will turn over the seed garden to the CSCST.
At present, most farmers in Cebu get their seedlings from San Ramon, Zamboanga, which costs them a lot.
The seed garden, which will be launched next month, will provide them with cheaper seedlings.
Barraquias said they are also planning to put up a seed garden for the farmers in the north, but they are still scouting for an area.
The Philippine Coconut Authority recently reported that coconut export receipts registered US$445.75 million for the first half of 2005, up by 14 percent from last year’s figure of $390 million for the same period.
Coconut oil
“Coconut oil brought in some US$296 million, up by 6.64 percent from last year’s $277.6 million. This traditional product experienced a slight increase in export volume by 1.83 percent, to 479,863.07 metric tons,” said Administrator Jesus Emmanuel Paras.
The price of coconut oil also rose to US$616.9 per metric ton, compared to $589.09 for the same period last year.
Paras attributed the increasing prices of coconut oil and other products to improving consumer perception. “Coconut oil is now known as the healthiest oil on earth,” he pointed out.
“Three coconut products are also showing excellent performance: desiccated coconut, coco shell charcoal and coco-chemicals,” Paras reported.
Exports of desiccated coconut earned the country US$58.97 million in the first half of the year, up by 44.2 percent from earnings from the same period last year. LLV/With PR
(August 22, 2005 issue)
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