Capiz opens 4-day 'Coconut Sale' Aug. 21
Roxas City -- A display of various coconut food and non-food products and by-products for sale will be established by the Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA) – Capiz from August 21 to 24 along Roxas Avenue here.
The activity dubbed "Coco Tiangge" is in line with the 21st National Coconut week celebration with the theme "Coconut it nourishes…energizes and shelters."
"Available for sale at "Coco Tiangge" are coconut seedlings, Virgin Coconut Oil (VCO), cooking oil, copra cake, geo-nets/hanks, techno materials, intercrops, coco sugar and vinegar, and coir fiber/dust," said PCA Provincial Manager Jeffrey delos Reyes.
The other provincial activities for the weeklong celebration include a press conference, general farm assistance activities, and a culmination program at Coco Oil Mill site at Barangay Ondoy in Ivisan town.
A blessing of site and equipment at Coco Oil Mill site, turn-over of equipment by provincial government to Capiz Small Coconut Farmers Cooperative (CASCOFAMCO), Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) Signing, and awarding of certificates of recognition will highlight the culmination program.
The coconut classified as a high value crop along with mango, pineapple and banana is among the country's agricultural exports.
The Department of Agriculture (DA) reported that because of these high value crops, the country's agricultural exports increased by 15.84 percent for the first quarter of 2007.
In a report to DA Secretary Arthur Yap, Undersecretary for Special Concerns Bernadette Romulo-Puyat said that among coconut products, exports of desiccated coconuts grew by 17% during the January-April period while raw coir also grew by 17%.
The DA continues its aggressive efforts to strengthen existing export markets and to tap new ones for agricultural products in line with its five-pronged program to sustain and accelerate farm growth and raise rural incomes by making farming more profitable for its small stakeholders.
(PIA)