HRC to penetrate Japanese market

By Cheneen R. Capon
THE Hijo Resources Corporation (HRC) is planning to penetrate the Japanese market by the third quarter of this year following its success in exporting organic coco sugar to Australia and New York since 2014.
“There is an increasing demand for organic coco sugar in the global market as people becomes more health conscious,” HRC food technologist Corteza C. Moreno said on the sidelines of the opening of the five day Start Min.Up exhibition at the Gaisano Mall of Davao last Monday.
Moreno said HRC has already prepared the documents needed for the shipment of coco sugar to Japan this year.
“The Japanese market is requiring the company to have an initial shipment of one container of coco sugar equivalent to 10,000 kilos,” she said.
The HRCsorganic coco sugar, under the brand name’s Coco Brio for New York and Jimali coco sugar for Australia, are already distributed in super markets and grocery stores, according to Moreno.
HRC started exporting coco sugar to Australia in January 2014, while the New York market was penetrated last August 2014.
“The biggest shipment we had for the two countries was done last month,” Moreno said.
HRC exported 5,000 kilos of organic coco sugar to Australia, and 10,000 kilos to New York just last February.
Even though there’s a growing demand in the world market, Moreno assured that HRC can still supply to its existing markets, even in the locality.
She added that the 25 hectares of the 95 hectares planted with coconut are devoted for coco sugar, while the rest are for production of desiccated coconut that is one of the main products of HRC.
The area is located at the 760 hectare-property of Tuason family located at Barangay Madaum, Tagum City, Davao del Norte.
The farm gate price of coco sugar starts at P250 per kilo while local market price at groceries and supermarkets ranged from P300 to P400 per kilo.
Moreno also said that HRC is planning to intensify its presence in the local market by distributing other coco-based products like coconut water and coco syrup and calamansi syrup.
The multi-billion coco sugar industry is one of the agri-based products of Mindanao that has a huge potential in the export market.