PGR News from the Pacific

Posted 9:14 PM by Tevita

RP faces copra shortage, as biofuel demand rises
By Conrad M. Cariño, Senior Desk Editor

From : The Manila Times

Biofuel’s gain, particularly biodiesel, is copra’s loss.

Demand for biodiesel from coconut will cause a shortage of about 100,000 metric tons (MT) of copra in 2009, according to the administrator of the Philippine Coconut Authority.

Oscar Garin said Friday the country must produce 2.7 million metric tons of copra, the dried meat of coconut, in 2009 to meet the expected demand for coconut methyl ester, the biofuel component from coconut oil.

This will impact on the country’s export of traditional coconut oil, which is processed for use as cooking oil and an ingredient in the processing of food, pharmaceutical products and cosmetics.

But meeting the 2.7-million metric ton production for 2009 will be a tough call, Garin admitted, because copra production has been on a decline since 2005 with a production of 2.6 million metric tons, 2.5 million metric tons in 2006, and 2.3 million metric tons in 2007.

This year, the coconut agency is projecting a 2.43-million metric ton production in copra, with a program encouraging the use of table salt as fertilizer contributing to the increased output.

“Production declined in 2006 because of the typhoons [hitting the country]. But this year’s absence of a dry season favors coconut production,” Garin said.

The coconut agency sees copra production hitting 2.6 million metric tons in 2009.

“Where will we get that 100,000 MT shortfall? That’s the problem,” Garin said.

To increase copra production in the next few years, the coconut agency is alloting P1.98 billion this year and P2.59 billion next year. The propagation of salt as fertilizer is a major program of the agency to increase copra production.

Studies by the coconut agency show that the use of common table salt can increase copra production from 20 percent to 25 percent.

Garin said their ambitious program to plant an additional 16 million coconut trees nationwide in the next three years will impact on copra production in 2009, because it takes up to five years for a coconut tree to be productive from the day it is planted.

The country today has more than 324 million coconut trees planted to more than three million hectares of lands.

The high demand for copra for biodiesel, however, will benefit coconut farmers because they will have an alternative market for their produce, a member of the Farmer Sectoral Council said. The council is a consultative body of farmers under the National Anti-Poverty Council.

Also, a source from the biotechnology industry, told The Manila Times that any shortfall in copra production for cooking oil can be easily met by domestic malunggay production.

The source said malunggay oil has almost the same profile as sunflower oil, which is free of unhealthy trans-fatty acids. The oil from malunggay is extracted from its dried seeds.

This early, there are thousands of entrepreneurial farmers and landowners who are already growing malunggay for its oil, and because the tree can be productive one to two years from planting even without fertilizer or pesticide use.



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Cariño, Senior Desk Editor From : The Manila Times Biofuel’s gain, particularly biodiesel, is copra’s loss. Demand for biodiesel from coconut will cause a shortage of about 100,000 metric tons (MT) of copra in 2009, according to the administrator of the Philippine Coconut Authority. Oscar Garin said Friday the country must produce 2.7 million metric tons of copra, the dried meat of coconut, in 2009 to meet the expected demand for coconut methyl ester, the biofuel component from coconut oil. This will impact on the country’s export of traditional coconut oil, which is processed for use as cooking oil and an ingredient in the processing of food, pharmaceutical products and cosmetics. But meeting the 2.7-million metric ton production for 2009 will be a tough call, Garin admitted, because copra production has been on a decline since 2005 with a production of 2.6 million metric tons, 2.5 million metric tons in 2006, and 2.3 million metric tons in 2007. This year, the coconut agency is projecting a 2.43-million metric ton production in copra, with a program encouraging the use of table salt as fertilizer contributing to the increased output. “Production declined in 2006 because of the typhoons [hitting the country]. But this year’s absence of a dry season favors coconut production,” Garin said. The coconut agency sees copra production hitting 2.6 million metric tons in 2009. “Where will we get that 100,000 MT shortfall? That’s the problem,” Garin said. To increase copra production in the next few years, the coconut agency is alloting P1.98 billion this year and P2.59 billion next year. The propagation of salt as fertilizer is a major program of the agency to increase copra production. Studies by the coconut agency show that the use of common table salt can increase copra production from 20 percent to 25 percent. Garin said their ambitious program to plant an additional 16 million coconut trees nationwide in the next three years will impact on copra production in 2009, because it takes up to five years for a coconut tree to be productive from the day it is planted. The country today has more than 324 million coconut trees planted to more than three million hectares of lands. The high demand for copra for biodiesel, however, will benefit coconut farmers because they will have an alternative market for their produce, a member of the Farmer Sectoral Council said. The council is a consultative body of farmers under the National Anti-Poverty Council. Also, a source from the biotechnology industry, told The Manila Times that any shortfall in copra production for cooking oil can be easily met by domestic malunggay production. The source said malunggay oil has almost the same profile as sunflower oil, which is free of unhealthy trans-fatty acids. The oil from malunggay is extracted from its dried seeds. This early, there are thousands of entrepreneurial farmers and landowners who are already growing malunggay for its oil, and because the tree can be productive one to two years from planting even without fertilizer or pesticide use. * Comments: Post a Comment	Archive October 2002 November 2002 December 2002 January 2003 February 2003 March 2003 April 2003 May 2003 June 2003 July 2003 August 2003 September 2003 October 2003 November 2003 December 2003 January 2004 February 2004 March 2004 April 2004 May 2004 June 2004 July 2004 August 2004 September 2004 October 2004 November 2004 December 2004 January 2005 February 2005 March 2005 April 2005 May 2005 June 2005 July 2005 August 2005 September 2005 October 2005 November 2005 December 2005 January 2006 February 2006 March 2006 April 2006 May 2006 June 2006 July 2006 August 2006 September 2006 October 2006 November 2006 December 2006 January 2007 February 2007 March 2007 April 2007 May 2007 June 2007 July 2007 August 2007 September 2007 October 2007 November 2007 December 2007 January 2008 February 2008 March 2008 April 2008 May 2008 June 2008 July 2008 August 2008 September 2008 October 2008 November 2008 December 2008 January 2009 February 2009 March 2009 April 2009 May 2009 June 2009 July 2009 August 2009 September 2009 October 2009 November 2009 January 2010 RSS Feed Alternative feed Contact Tevita Something new: Agrobiodiversity Weblog: For discussions of conservation and sustainable use of the genetic resources of crops, livestock and their wild relatives. 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