THE Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA) must intervene and regulate the price of the whole coconut as to not compete with the copra prices, a government official said.
Ednar Gempesaw Dayanghirang, chief of staff of Davao Oriental Governor Nelson Dayanghirang, said if coconut processors continue to lower their price for the whole coconut produce same as for the copra then this will entail huge financial loss especially to the coconut farmers.
“PCA is saying that the coconut oil market has dropped, guaranteeing its true, then it is okay. Ang question nga ginapangutana sa players sa Davao Oriental ngano man tawun ang tibuok nisabay sa presyo 50 percent bagsak (The question being asked by the players from Davao Oriental is why the price for the whole nut is decreasing to almost 50 percent similar to the copra),” Dayanghirang said on Wednesday, September 12, 2018 during a media forum at Habi at Kape, Abreeza Mall, Davao City.
Dayanghirang said for this year the price of copra in the province is now at P20 per kilograms (kg) from P40/kg, while the same 50 percent decrease of price is recorded for the whole nut, at P5/kg from P10.50/kg.
He also added in 2017, Davao Oriental recorded 140 million kilograms for coconut production and 103,000 coconut farmers.
“That is what we want to address, first to mitigate the impact of lower prices to the coconut farmers,” Dayanghirang said.
He added that PCA administration has already requested the coconut processors not to lower the prices of the whole nut.
“I recognized Billie (de la Rosa) had already made a step pero kulang (but it’s lacking). Make it stronger please,” Dayanghirang said.
He added that with the legal capabilities PCA has from the government, this step of keeping the whole nut produce from lowering will definitely aid the financial situation of coconut farmers.