Department of Agriculture to Start “Massive” Coconut Tree Planting

The Department of Agriculture will pursue a “massive” coconut tree planting once the Coconut Farmers Trust Fund is approved, Agriculture Secretary William Dar said. He said the government will have to replace the over 100 million coconut trees in the country that are already old and senile.  

Dar assured that the agency has not yet touched the allocated coco levy fund, which amounts to about P100 billion. He hopes both chambers of Congress will craft a law on how to allocate the coconut levy fund “that has been there for some time.” The principal fund of the trust fund will not be used for projects but its interest earnings, Dar said. 

President Rodrigo Duterte, in his State of the Nation Address on July 27 urged the creation of the Coconut Farmers Trust Fund, asking Congress to draw up a plan on how to utilize the money collected by the government to benefit the country’s coconut farmers.