In Davao City, the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Region 11 has embarked on a collaborative effort with PUM Netherlands, a volunteer business advisory group, to enhance the value of products derived from coconut husks. This initiative falls under the Coconut Farmers Industry Development Plan (CFIDP) and aims to foster capacity-building and product innovation among 25 coconut-based enterprises and farmers in the region.
Director Romeo Castañaga of DTI-11 highlighted the challenges facing the coconut industry, including low farmer incomes, inadequate tree yields, outdated technologies, and limited market applications for coconut products. He expressed gratitude towards PUM Netherlands for their support in developing high-demand products like substrates and growing media from coconut husks, particularly for the European market.
Castañaga pointed out various obstacles in expanding the use of coconut products for horticulture, such as market access, technological innovation, and the need for laboratory facilities. Recently, PUM expert Cees de Kreij, a seasoned consultant from the Netherlands with over two decades of experience in the coconut sector, provided one-on-one guidance to local farmers and cooperatives on processing coconut husks into substrates and growing media for various plants.
The practice of soilless agriculture, prevalent in the Netherlands and the European Union, involves growing fruits, vegetables, and flowers without soil, a technique that could benefit from the new coconut husk products. DTI-11 is planning to conduct a coconut husk mapping in 2025 to evaluate the region’s potential for large-scale husk supply and study its market potential.
Davao Region, which ranks fourth in the country for coconut plantation area and production volume, contributes 13 percent to the national coconut output, positioning it as a leading producer. By the end of 2024, DTI-11 had supported approximately 800 coconut farmers through CFIDP, focusing on research, marketing, and market promotion to drive the sector’s growth.