(File PNA Photo by Leilanie Adriano)
MANILA – President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. approved the additional funding for the massive coconut planting/replanting and fertilization program of the Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA) for 2025.
Marcos gave his approval during a meeting in Malacañang Tuesday
According to the Presidential Communications Office (PCO), the additional funds would be used to implement the Philippine Coconut Industry Development Plan (PCIDP) 2024-2034.
“Inaprubahan ni Pangulong Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. ang dagdag na budget para sa malawakang coconut planting/replanting program at fertilization program sa taong 2025, sa ilalim ng Philippine Coconut Industry Development Plan (PCIDP) 2024-2034 (President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. approved the additional budget for the massive coconut planting/replanting program and fertilization program for 2025, under the Philippine Coconut Industry Development Plan 2024-2034)," the PCO said in a Facebook post Tuesday afternoon.
“Ang PCIDP 2024-2034 ay tugon sa direktiba ni PBBM sa Philippine Coconut Authority noong October 2023 na gumawa ng detalyadong plano para sa pagpapaunlad ng coconut industry ng bansa (The PCIDP 2024-2034 is in response to PBBM's directive to the Philippine Coconut Authority in October 2023 to make a detailed plan for the development of the country's coconut industry).”
In a separate statement, the PCO said PCA Administrator Dexter Buted welcomed the additional budget of PHP1 billion for the planting and replanting program of coconut trees, which will enable them to plant 15.3 million trees in 2025.
Under the program, the PCA will plant and replant a total of 100 million coconut seedlings in 700,000 hectares of land by 2028 all over the country to increase coconut production by 4.7 billion valued at PHP33.1 billion by 2034.
For this year, the PCA is eyeing to plant 8.5 million seedlings, 15.3 million seedlings in 2025, and 25.4 million every year from 2026 to 2028.
”That’s why we still maintain our very high position in terms of coconut products exports because despite the fact that we have neglected the coconut industry over so many years, we still, I think we’re number one pa rin (still),” Marcos said.
”And despite the fact that we are really working with very limited raw material because nga hindi nag-replant puro matanda na ‘yung mga trees natin (there has been no replanting, our trees are already old). That’s why this replanting is important,” he added.
According to the President, there is a big market for coconut products as he expects the private sector to buy all the supply “because the market is so large and growing” and the industry has not reached the market’s limit on coconut product demand.
The Department of Agriculture (DA) will also implement intercropping while farmers wait for the trees to become productive. Among the crops that will be planted include coffee, cacao, and bananas.
The President also ordered the PCA to work closely with the Cooperative Development Authority to consolidate farmers’ groups and associations to enable them to implement the massive planting and replanting program.
The 10-year PCIDP plan was developed to address the critical constraints of the low growth rate of the coconut industry in terms of production, low nut yield due to the aging coconut tree population, natural calamities, pests and diseases, poor farming, and insufficient budget allocation.
To implement the plan, the PCA has proposed a budget amounting to PHP102.02 billion within 10 years to cover the implementation, monitoring, and evaluation of the PPAs.
Marcos has expressed his intention to make the Philippines the world’s No. 1 coconut exporter, seeing it as a “great opportunity” for the country’s continued economic growth.
The Philippine coconut industry has contributed US$3.22 billion to the country’s export earnings in 2022. The figure is 43 percent of the country’s total agricultural exports. (PNA)
