P2.8B for coconut industry released

RESIDENTS of the village of Sagkahan in Tacloban City view the destruction left by Supertyphoon “Yolanda” on their community. NIÑO JESUS ORBETA

TACLOBAN CITY—Relief is on its way to coconut farmers in the provinces in central Philippines hit last November by Supertyphoon “Yolanda,” the top official of the coconut industry’s administrative body said on Saturday.

Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA) Administrator Euclides Forbes said the agency’s rehabilitation plan was now in place and an initial fund of P2.8 billion had been received by the PCA.

“Malacañang has already downloaded to the PCA the initial fund for the rehabilitation and replanting program amounting to P2.8 billion,” Forbes said in a visit here.

The amount, Forbes added, was on top of the agency’s annual budget for this year.

He said the fund would be used to help coconut farmers in Leyte and Samar provinces (Eastern Visayas), on Panay Island (Western Visayas) and northern Cebu and Bantayan Island (Central Visayas) that were hit by Yolanda.

Forbes said the damage to the coconut industry across the affected areas had been placed at P16.6 billion, with at least 15 million coconut trees toppled or uprooted when Yolanda smashed through the three Visayan regions on Nov. 8 last year.

At least P280 million of the fund will be allocated for clearing operations while P1.6 billion will be used to buy fertilizers, to be used on coconut trees that may still be saved.

At least P500 million was allocated for replanting to replace trees that were lost.

Forbes said the PCA had coordinated with other agencies and government agricultural schools for the coconut rehabilitation program.

The program also seeks to promote intercropping, which requires the planting of other crops alongside the coconut trees.

Visayas State University, he said, has agreed to produce 30,000 cuttings of sweet potato, cassava and corn seeds for planting.

In Leyte, where over 10 million coconut trees were destroyed, the PCA seeks to plant at least 5 million seedlings, Forbes said.

He said the PCA would also introduce a new replanting technique this year, wherein three seedlings would be planted in a triangle pattern, 2 meters apart from each other and 10 meters between clusters.

“That is the alternative design given by our expert,” said Forbes. He said the technique was tested in Aurora province.

More trees will be planted per hectare but experts expect a decline in tree production, he said.

Forbes said it would take two to seven years for the coconut industry in Yolanda-ravaged areas to recover.

Experts, he said, are also studying which variety to plant—tall or dwarf. The tall variety of coconut trees bears fruit after seven years while the dwarf variety bears fruit after only three to four years.