The Wrath of Milenyo

THE COCONUT industry is hard-pressed to raise P1 billion a year for the rehabilitation of farmlands ravaged by a series of strong typhoons that hit the country in 2006 and help raise coconut production at least to normal levels.

According to Agriculture Secretary Arthur C. Yap, a significant number of trees had to be replaced even before the typhoons came, most of which were 60 years and older.

Data from the Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA) show that P714.4 million worth of coconut trees were damaged by Typhoon Reming that ravaged southern Luzon in late November last year, affecting some 196,000 farmers.

"CIIF Oil Mills Group has been identified to spearhead rehabilitation efforts but there has been difficulty (in securing money)," Yap said.

The CIIFOMG comprises six coconut oil milling companies funded by the controversial coconut levy or the Coconut Industry Investment Fund.

"This is a very serious situation considering that the Philippines has remained the world's top exporter despite the declining state of our coconut farmlands," the agriculture chief added.

According to CCIFOMG, there are some 3.1 million hectares nationwide that are classified as coconut farmlands, of which 15 percent or 450,000 hectares need to be replanted.

These account for land with trees too old to bear nuts and areas that have been dedicated for coconut farming but are idle.

Aside from that, 750,000 hectares need to be fertilized as the land lacked nutrients to support nut-bearing trees.

"We need some two kilos of fertilizers per tree to help increase production, but there is just no funds readily available for this," Yap said.

In a report made available last December, PCA said 42.64 million coconut trees were damaged, and four out of five are in the Bicol region. Damaged trees in Bicol represent about a tenth of the country's 330 million coconut-bearing trees.