The Philippine Center for Postharvest Development and Mechanization (PhilMech) on Monday said it will train and fund cooperatives to further boost the coconut industry in the country.
In a statement, PhilMech executive director Dr. Dionisio Alvindia said the agency wants cooperatives to succeed in producing value-added coconut products.
Included in these “value-added products” are crude coconut oil, processed coconut oil, virgin coconut oil, desiccated coconut, coconut coir and coconut sap, the PhilMech said.
“We will provide three years of coaching and mentoring. We want these cooperatives to be successful,” Alvindia said.
The PhilMech said the agency will be spearheading the establishment of shared processing facilities (SPFs) for qualified coconut farmer cooperatives which have a PHP500-million budget for the next 12 months.
The initial PHP500-million budget shall be divided into several regions, with CALABARZON (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal and Quezon) having the highest allocation with PHP58.61 million; followed by Northern Mindanao with PHP 53.84 million; Zamboanga Peninsula with PHP52.66 million; Davao region with PHP51.74 million; and Eastern Visayas with PHP50.15 million.
Other regions with below PHP50-million allocation include Bicol Region with PHP43.65 million; Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) with PHP40.84 million; SOCCKSARGEN with PHP32.51 million; Caraga with PHP29.74 million; Western Visayas with PHP27.13 million; MIMAROPA (Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon, and Palawan) with PHP25.49 million; and Central Visayas with PHP25.01 million.
For Ilocos Region, Cagayan Valley and Central Luzon, the DA-PhilMech has allocated an initial fund of PHP8.63 million.
Meanwhile, cooperatives should be registered at the Cooperative Development Authority with over 100 members and 5,000 coconuts daily production to qualify as beneficiaries. (PNA)
