June 25, 2024 | economynext |
The Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA) aims for a 3-5% increase in coconut productivity despite La Niña. Administrator Dexter Respicio Buted highlighted the resilience of coconut trees, expressing confidence in meeting the yield projections. The PCA’s Massive Coconut Planting and Replanting Project targets planting 8.4 million seedlings this year, primarily in the Visayas and Mindanao. Buted emphasized the need for a PHP2.4-billion budget for fertilization to boost productivity by 15% in the first year. The goal is to make the Philippines the top coconut exporter within 5-10 years, currently ranking second globally. Production was slightly down in 2023 due to El Niño.