Crisis slows down need for coconut

CEBU - The global financial crisis has slowed down the need for coconut, according to the Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA).

During the “Tapok-Tapok sa KIA” yesterday, PCA regional manager Deodero Ravelo said that the demand for coconut has gone down this year and is expected to continue decreasing next year.

Ravelo said they have noted a great decrease in the production of coco products such as virgin coconut oil, which is exported to other countries.

The PCA noted that the latest production have gone down to 130,000 coconuts from 185,000 coconuts.

Ravelo mentioned three plans that they are implementing in 2009 which would help suppliers and coconut growers in their businesses.

The first is the Fertilization Program in which they would be using salt as fertilizer because it is cheaper.

When use as fertilizers, salt, which gives lot of nutrients to the coconut tree, could withstand drought.

The second plan is the Pest Control Program, which aims to control pests that slowly kill coconut trees and affects the production.

So far, the PCA has cured about 16,000 coconut trees through three different methods: “cut and burn,” “karate” and “injection.”

The other plan is the so-called Philippine National Coconut Participatory Planting Program. — Harry Vincent H. Cañeda and AJ de la Torre, CIT mass communication Interns/LPM   (THE FREEMAN)