May 03, 2025 | The Philippine Star |
The Philippines’ coconut-based product exports surged by 76% in the first quarter of 2025, reaching $868 million, up from $492 million the previous year, according to the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA). The increase is attributed to strong global demand and high coconut oil prices driven by tightening supply in the global vegetable oil market.
Coconut oil dominated the export category, accounting for 85% of the total coconut-based export value. Exports of coconut oil soared by 85.5%, reaching $740.19 million, compared to $398.98 million last year. The average price of coconut oil also rose significantly, up 74% year-on-year to $2,082 per metric ton, based on World Bank data.
Desiccated coconut exports grew 54% to $94.59 million, while exports of copra meal and cake declined by nearly 30% to $9.15 million. Other coconut products, including coconut water, saw a 26.7% rise to $24.04 million.
In addition, fruit and vegetable exports rose by 7.2% to $624.91 million, led by bananas, which increased by 6.5% to $337.17 million. Exports of canned pineapple rose 4.4%, and pineapple juice shipments climbed 5.4%.
The continued global demand for coconut and fruit products strengthens the Philippines’ agricultural export performance.
