By Manny Piñol
Offices and agencies under the Department of Agriculture are now urged to serve Coconut Water and local fruit juices during events and meetings as a practical solution to support coconut and high value crops farmers.
Next week, the DA Special Area for Agricultural Development (SAAD) and the Agricultural Marketing Assistance Service (AMAS) will open a Coconut Marketing Area in front of the DA Central Office and assist farmers in selling green coconuts and other coconut products.
Regional Offices will also be directed to open similar Coconut Marketing Areas while local government units in Metro Manila will be asked to allow Coconut Farmers to sell Coconut products using mobile refrigerated trucks.
The whole activity will be called Summer Coco Fest, an idea which was introduced by DA Caraga Regional Director Abel James Monteagudo.
In a recommendation submitted to the DA Secretary, Monteagudo said the oversupply of copra in the market could be addressed by promoting the use of young green coconuts for buko water and meat.
“We are a country of over 100-million people. If only half of the population will consume one glass of Coconut water every week, that would mean 200-M nuts a month or 2.4-billion nuts a year,” Monteagudo, a former bank manager, said.
The Philippines produces about 5.5-billion nuts every year for copra production but world market prices of coconut oil have dropped.
Copra nuts are now bought for as low as P4 per piece while young green coconuts are sold for as high as P35 per piece.
Under the program, the DA will provide Coconut farmers groups will machinery and equipment and working capital for the project.
The Summer Coco Fest was officially launched yesterday in Davao City.
(Photos of the Summer Coco Fest Launching taken in Davao City yesterday while the other two photos were taken in the PCA Center in San Ramon, Zamboanga. DA AFID Biyaheng Bukid)
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