PHILIPPINE COCONUT AUTHORITY TO GET P1.4 BILLION BUDGET FOR NEXT YEAR

The Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA) will get P1.4 billion allocation for 2018, the same budget level in the current year.  Bulk of the amount will be used for replanting of coconut trees nationwide.  While PCA failed to get a higher budget as proposed at P3.5 billion, PCA administrator Romulo dela Rosa said the agency would effectively utilize its approved allocation.  “Our priority next year will be replanting, the bulk of the budget will go to that. We will focus on fertilization and research and development,” Dela Rosa said. 

The PCA targets to increase the number of coconut trees by at least 10 million trees this year, 15 million trees in 2018, and 20 million trees every year starting 2019.  The agency is also focusing on other livelihood component such as coconut enterprise and high value coconut products, allowing farmers to deviate from the mere coconut and copra alone to supplement income. 

Latest data showed that 3.5 million hectares are planted with coconut or 26 percent of the country’s total agricultural land.  Sixty-eight out of the 81 provinces are coconut areas. The Philippines is the top exporter of coconut oil and other coconut-based products globally despite being only the third largest coconut producer after India and Indonesia. Coconut remains a leading agricultural export of the country, earning no less than $1.5 billion annually since 2010.  Highest revenue was recorded in 2011 at $1.95 billion.