The municipality of Currimao has achieved 50 percent of its target to have a 50-hectare coconut plantation, eyed to provide additional income to its residents.
Engineer Erickson Biag, municipal agriculturist and environment and natural resources officer, told the Philippine News Agency on Wednesday they have accomplished half of the town’s coconut revolution bid after planting seedlings in 25 hectares of at least 50-hectare target.
He said they intend to plant coconut seedlings in idle lots and mountainous areas, and the target will be achieved after a partnership with the Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA), which will provide the seedlings to individuals or groups.
“If this becomes successful, this will benefit our tupig makers as they have been getting their coconut supply from Cagayan province,” he added.
Biag said there is also a high demand for buko (coconut) juice at the town’s pristine beaches, particularly at the Gaang Beach Cove where the Pangil Rocks Formation and a 2.8-kilometer seawall boulevard that continue to attract tourists even at night time.
He said distribution of free Laguna variety coconut seedlings is ongoing and interested individuals or groups may visit the municipal agriculturist office.
The PCA, an agency under the Department of Agriculture (DA), is spearheading the planting of more coconut trees nationwide as part of the country’s poverty alleviation program.
The agency said hybrid coconut has the potential to yield 150 to 300 nuts per year by utilizing hybrid technology with good agricultural practices.
Next to Indonesia, the Philippines is the second biggest coconut exporting country in the world as it accounts for about 43 percent of the country’s total agricultural exports because of coconut oil and water.
In support of the national government’s plan to have 100 million coconut trees planted by the end of the Marcos administration, more local government units here such as in Pagudpud, Piddig, and Batac have included coconut in their greening programs while engaging other people’s organizations with integrated social forestry projects to intercrop their existing crops such as coffee, banana, and pineapples with hybrid coconut trees.
For this year, the PCA aims to replant 8.5 million coconut seedlings in 59,744 hectares of land. It also intends to fertilize 2.8 million trees in 28,341 hectares nationwide.
Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) data showed that coconut production in Ilocos Region was estimated at 47,226.90 metric tons in 2022. The region contributed 0.32 percent to the national production of 14,931.16 thousand metric tons that year. (PNA)
