Geniuses Of The PH Coconut Authority Have Been Sleeping On The Job!

Not to mention the professors of the University of the Philippines Los Baños, those who are working under the Philippine Coconut Authority, PCA; not to mention the agriculturists who are journalists, including me. (buko image from foodevolution.com.ph) I have not heard from any genius in the PCA for a long, long time!

And now the new Secretary of Agriculture William Dar/Manong Willie is asking for your coconuts, gentlemen & ladies. In his column today, "Leveling Up The Coconut Industry," 1st of 2 Parts (26 September 2019, Manila Times, manilatimes.net), he's saying among other things:

(1) "Coconut water is one of the fastest-growing beverage categories in the global market," based on the report of the University of Asia and the Pacific, UA&P, and we have a village-level coconut water processing machine that could process 2,000 nuts into 2,000 bottles a day. So, Manong Willie asks, "What are we waiting for?!"

(2) Also according to the UA&P report, "Coconut water is one of the fastest-growing beverage categories in the global market." Manong Willie asks again, "What are we waiting for?"

(3) Also according to the same report, "exports of coconut milk powder has been growing by 38 percent per year on volume," with The Netherlands, Japan, United States, France and Australia as major markets. Manong Willie asks again, "What are we waiting for?"

More products? More income for producers. Manong Willie says:

I must emphasize, however, that as the exports for non-traditional coconut products like coconut water and powder (increase), there is a need for poor farmers to also enjoy the fruits of the harvest, or for them to earn more by including them in the value chain.

How about, Manong Willie says, Big Brother Companies working out business arrangements with Coco Cooperatives to help solve the poverty of these farmers?

Since 6 years ago, I have been campaigning for government to pay attention to multipurpose coops ("The Super Coops of 2014," Nagkaisa, nagkaisa.blogspot.com). That year in fact, I submitted a written proposal to the office of Senator Cynthia Villar – yes, I personally handed it to her secretary – and yes, nothing came out of it.

If we do not care about the 3.5 million coconut farmers who are among "the poorest of the poor," then we are the poorest of the poor!

Do not tell me that the PCA has been discouraged by persistent pest attacks, prevalence of typhoons, and very low copra prices.

Precisely! Where are the geniuses of the PCA when you need them most!?

For years, we had two neighbors, both males, wagon-selling their coconut meat and water everyday. Now they're gone; the house has been abandoned and now looks sad. If you cannot make a decent living out of fresh buko, how do you expect the coconut farmers to thrive from what they derive from the so-called "Tree of Life?"

I ask: "Where are the geniuses with their coconuts when you need them!" We have not been encouraging and empowering coconut farmers to do multiple cropping, so we geniuses are the lazy ones!@517