Coconut Farming in the Philippines
Coconut farming in the Philippines is focusing on modernizing and optimizing the coconut industry, especially supporting the local economies.
by Ana Lucia Carrizo on Monday, May 4, 2020
The Crop that Shaped the Country’s Economy
The coconut tree is not a native species of the Philippines. Still the people of the Philippines know it as the “Tree of Life.” This is a well-earned title in this country. Coconut farming in the Philippines provides a livelihood for approximately one-third of the population.
History of Coconut Farming in the Philippines
The industrialization of coconut production in the Philippines began in the early 20th century. Now, the country is the world’s second-largest coconut producer, right behind Indonesia. Nearly one-third of the land is devoted to coconut farming. Farmers produce enough for the country to hold a whopping 45% share in world coconut exports. Unsurprisingly, the industry dominates a large part of the country’s agriculture sector. The coconut industry employs 3.4 million coconut farmers.
The Philippine Coconut Authority began in 1973. This merged all coconut-related government operations into a single agency. Their intention was to create a globally competitive coconut industry. They planned to do so through the development of high-value, farmer-centered programs. And, they would do it through transparency, with accountability and responsibility.
Unfortunately, multi-level corruption affected much of the industry. Many of the funds intended to be reinvested in the coconut industry were siphoned out into individual’s pockets. However, the hefty increase in export revenues that this new era brought nonetheless translated into available financing for the sector:
“Coconut is one of the two agricultural commodities that earn the country more than a billion dollars in export revenues every year.”
– Dr. William Dar, former Secretary for Agriculture
In the last decade, there has been a big focus on modernizing and optimizing the coconut industry, with an eye to truly supporting the local economies and producers directly involved in coconut cultivation. These initiatives have included planting new trees, using larger tracts of land used for coconut farming, shifting the focus from raw coconuts to value-added processing, and making use of the sunlight that filters through the trees to plant intercrops.
Innovations in the Industry
Dr. Patricio Faylon is a recognized agricultural policy expert from the Philippines. He claims, “It is not enough that we plant the most number of trees or produce the highest number of nuts. It is getting the highest value and benefits from this crop that matters most. The best way to do this is to transform the nuts and other coconut parts into high-value products.”
Through the years, and with the development of all sorts of “coconut technologies” like Coco-biodiesel or COCOPEAT, the Philippines has become an incredible example of what a single fruit can do for a country’s welfare and evolution. These shifts happen when people are inspired to use and boost resources to reach their full potential, unified by a vision that includes and incentivizes everyone.
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8 comments
HI I WILL LIKE TO KNOW IF MY COMPANY CAN PURCHASE FROM YOU, WE ARE LOOKING INTO PURCHASING 500,000 DRY COCONUTS. HOW DO WE GO ABOUT IT?
Hi Esther! Send an email to info@producersmarket.com with your details and we will assist you. Thank you for reaching out.
what varieties of coconuts are the best grown in the philippines?
Ive read that 50 KG of manure yearly per coconut tree give the highest yield.
1) In southern luzon assuming adequate moisture, how many more coconuts are produced per dwarf tree if it is well fertilized vs with no fertilizer;
2) same question for hybrid coconut trees.
3) what is the best manure for coconuts, chicken, hog horse or cattle?
Ive read that 50 KG of manure yearly per coconut tree gives the highest yield.
1) In southern luzon assuming adequate moisture, how many more coconuts are produced per dwarf tree if it is well fertilized vs with no fertilizer;
2) same question for hybrid coconut trees.
3) what is the best manure for coconuts, chicken, hog horse or cattle?
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Thanks for posting.
You can check: Raw Coconut exporters in Pollachi.
Hello, we are looking for the best company that we could supply coconut meat.