The Philippines remains as the world’s leading supplier of traditional coconut products. The industry is also finding new products and uses for this the “Tree of Life”: coco peat, geotextiles, activated carbon and virgin coconut oil. Description The coconut industry is a dominant sector of Philippine agriculture: Of the 12 million hectare of farmlands, 3.25 M hectare is devoted to coconut 68 out of 79 provinces are coconut areas. Over 324M bearing and non-bearing trees 3.5M coconut farmers and farm workers are dependent on the industry Annual average of 5.97% contribution to GVA and 1.14% to GNP 59% share in the world coconut exports Among the top 5 net foreign exchange earners, average of US$760M per year Production The Philippines is the world’s second largest producer of coconut products, after Indonesia. In 2004, coconut production reached 14 million tons and covers 3.25 million hectares. The current yield level is 4.41 tons/hectare. Forty eight percent (1,595,120 hectares) of all coconut is planted to Mindanao but it produces 56% (8.1 million tons) of the total production. Hectarage by region – Region IX (369,130 ha), Region X (216,310 ha). Region XI (460,700 ha), Region XII (98,350 ha), CARAGA (227,480 ha), ARMM – (223,150 ha) Davao region is the top producer in the island (2.5 M tons) followed by Zamboanga Peninsula (1.2 M tons). Processing Coconut oil, desiccated coconut, fresh coconut and copra are the primary products of coconut, while by-products include copra meal, activated carbon, coconut shell charcoal and coconut coir and coir dust. Coconut end products include detergents soaps, shampoo, cosmetics, margarine, cooking oil, confectionery, vinegar and nata de coco. Coconut intermediates include oleochemicals such as fatty acids and fatty alcohols.
Facilities Oil mills (30) – (Region IX (7), Region X (11), Region XI (8), Region XII (1), CARAGA (2), ARMM – (1) Decorticating Machines (3) – (Region IX (1), Region X (1). Coconut Virgin