2nd World Coconut Congress A Success

The 2nd World Coconut Congress (WCC) was held last August 27-29 at the SMX Convention Center, MOA Complex, Pasay City, with about 400 people in attendance.  The new Secretary of Agriculture William D. Dar and new Philippine Coconut Authority Administrator Gonzalo T. Duque were guests of honor who led the opening of the exhibitions and assisted by United Coconut Associations of the Philippines Chairman Dean A. Lao, Jr. and Philippine Exporters Confederation, Inc. President Sergio Ortiz-Luis, Jr.

Secretary Dar delivered the keynote address during the opening ceremonies.  He called for massive replanting of coconut trees to bring back productivity and increase the income of families dependent on the coconut sector.  He said the government would actively support efforts to help increase productivity, lift up exports and make the Philippines the best source of coconut-based products.  

“We now have eight laboratories equipped with somatic embryogenesis technology that can help accelerate tissue culture of better varieties of coconut trees.  This is a pilot project,” he said in his keynote address.  He said the Philippine Coconut Authority should identify measures to reinvigorate the industry like the expansion of ideal sites for coconut farming.

The event featured exhibitions of various coconut products and by-products, equipments and machinery for coconut products processing among others, culinary activities initiated by the Philippine Coconut Authority demonstrating the use coconut ingredients;  business matching sessions facilitated by the Department of Trade and Industry’s-Export Marketing Bureau; and a coconut conference.

The 3-day conference tackled various topics on Coconut supply and value chain; Emerging coconut products; Oleochemicals; Market dynamics; and Health and Wellness, presented by experts in their respective fields.