• Politics
  • Economy
  • Stock
  • World News
  • Editor’s Pick
Investments Aims

THE Department of Agriculture (DA) asked the 20th Congress to amend the Coconut Farmers and Industry Trust Fund Act to refocus the law to support replantings.

“We must revise the law to focus the trust fund’s resources on the most critical needs — particularly replanting,” Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel, Jr. said in a statement.

“Many of our coconut trees are senile. If we don’t replace them immediately, we risk the industry’s future.”

Coconut trees over 50 years old produce less than half the typical yield. Younger trees produce around 80-100 nuts a year.

“While the fruit-bearing capacity of older trees may be temporarily boosted with salt fertilization, replanting is the only long-term solution to sustain the viability of the coconut sector,” the DA said.

With 3 million farmers working on 3.6 million hectares of coconut plantations, the Philippines is the world’s second-largest coconut producer and exporter after Indonesia.

But the DA said the sector is “underperforming,” with only 134 processing plants operating — many at just 50% capacity — and 60 oil mills remaining well below their combined capacity of 3.7 million metric tons due to “low farm yields.”

“These reforms are about more than productivity — they’re about securing the livelihoods of millions of Filipino coconut farmers,” the DA said.

Each year, the industry exports an average of $2 billion worth of crude and refined coconut oil, desiccated coconut, copra meal, and coconut water from about 14 to 15 billion nuts.

“If the Philippines can increase yields, it could ride the wave of increasing demand for coconut oil, particularly in Europe,” the DA said.

“Although the yearly targets are expected to be met, the current pace of planting still needs to be accelerated to assure the industry’s sustainability,” it added.

The Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA) planted 8.6 million seedlings in 2024, exceeding the 8.5 target even during El Niño.

President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. set a target of planting 100 million coconut trees by 2028.

For 2025, the government has allocated P1 billion for planting and P1.8 billion for fertilization. 

“But to truly scale the effort, the P80-billion trust fund must be refocused toward high-impact programs that lift productivity and farmer incomes,” the DA said.

“The proposed amendment will allow greater flexibility to ensure a more responsive and adaptive approach to the evolving needs of coconut farmers and the industry.”

Aside from replanting, the proposed amendment to the trust fund law should also finance drip irrigation, water impounding, fertilization, and farmer welfare programs. — Kyle Aristophere T. Atienza

0 comment
0
FacebookTwitterPinterestEmail

previous post
Farm output likely benefited in Q2 from weak year-earlier base
next post
NOT TO MISS… Come See ROSANNE BARR LIVE Screen Her New Film “Rosanne Barr Is America” at The Gateway Pundit Vindicated Conference in Las Vegas, Aug. 9-10

You may also like

Trump accused Fed governor Lisa Cook of mortgage...

August 29, 2025

Cracker Barrel rebrand: Why companies retreat when faced...

August 29, 2025

Lego hits record revenue in first half of...

August 28, 2025

Google has eliminated 35% of managers overseeing small...

August 28, 2025

What a stake in Intel could mean for...

August 27, 2025

Frontier Airlines goes after struggling rival Spirit’s customers...

August 27, 2025

Cracker Barrel assures customers its values remain the...

August 26, 2025

U.S. could take stakes in more firms, White...

August 26, 2025

Trump flexes power over big business as U.S....

August 25, 2025

Crop tour projects record 2025 U.S. corn harvest,...

August 24, 2025
Join The Exclusive Subscription Today And Get Premium Articles For Free


Your information is secure and your privacy is protected. By opting in you agree to receive emails from us. Remember that you can opt-out any time, we hate spam too!

Recent Posts

  • Rubio denies visas to Palestinian leaders for UN General Assembly, citing terror support

    August 29, 2025
  • 2028 looks like trouble for Democrats — and Republicans are poised to capitalize

    August 29, 2025
  • Trump accused Fed governor Lisa Cook of mortgage fraud. That can be hard to prove, experts say.

    August 29, 2025
  • Cracker Barrel rebrand: Why companies retreat when faced with consumer criticism

    August 29, 2025
  • UK, France, Germany trigger UN sanctions on Iran over ‘significant’ nuclear program defiance

    August 28, 2025
  • Terms & Conditions
  • Privacy Policy
  • Contact us
  • About us

Copyright © 2024 Investments Aims. All Rights Reserved.

Investments Aims
  • Politics
  • Economy
  • Stock
  • World News
  • Editor’s Pick