Tuesday, April 15, 2008 Demand for coco-sugar increases, PCA says
THE Philippine Coconut Authority-Zamboanga Research Center (PCA-ZRC) plans to increase coco-sugar exports in the coming years as more and more coconut farmers have learned how to process sugar from "tuba," or toddy, their drinking fare.
PCA-ZRC deputy director Ramon Rivera said PCA Administrator Oscar G. Garin supports the plan.
Garin is set to implement a nationwide salt fertilization campaign to boost the production of nuts and copra, a top export product of the country.
PCA said the country remains the top coconut exporter worldwide. Coco sugar has been exported to the United States, where it is consumed by diabetics, and will soon be shipped to Japan and the Middle East.
Rivera said he expects demand in the world market to rise proportionately as coco sugar is now the craze of millions of people suffering from diabetes.
Research results have shown that diabetics who use coco sugar have stable blood sugar levels. The glycemic index of coco-sugar is 35, a level that is good for the proper control of diabetes mellitus.
It is also good for weight maintenance as it reduces low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol levels.
Coco sugar is also rich in nutrients - high in potassium, phosphorus, magnesium, sulfur, calcium and Vitamin C.
Rivera said the Philippines has the potential of becoming the dominant player in the coco sugar market since it is the top coconut exporting country in the entire world.
"Sa kopra, hindi naman kumikita farmers dun e. Sa coco-sugar dahil tuba yan, directly mabe-benefit ang farmers. (The farmers don't earn from copra. They directly benefit from the coco-sugar). You are making a very good product, nutritional product na palagay ko naman walang tatanggi (which I think no one will refuse)," Rivera said.
Rivera said coconut farmers can process coco-sugar from "tuba" in their own backyard and it is easy to do.
"Just strain the toddy or tuba, boil it under fire to evaporate the water then stir occasionally. Remove the foam that forms on the surface if needed. Remove the pan from the fire but continue stirring until the mixture becomes granular. When the liquid turns golden brown, reduce the fire while continuously stirring until the liquid thickens. Air-dry the sugar before packing," Rivera added.
Coco-sugar makes a good source of additional income for the ordinary coconut farmer. A hectare of coconut farm can produce between nine and 10 tons of coco-sugar in a month.
At present, coco-sugar is sold exclusively at PCA offices nationwide at P180 per kilo.
The retail price may be reduced further, Rivera admitted, once the technology for processing is improved. The equipment for removing the water from "tuba," which is called lyofelizer, costs P5 million.
PCA-ZRC produces 100 kilos of coco-sugar a week. (Biolife News Service)
