Coconut farmers to get P800M in gov’t aid

MANILA  -The Department of Agriculture (DA) is targeting to begin the distribution of various interventions to coconut farmers worth more than P800 million by the end of this year.

The DA, along with the Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA), will begin distributing chicken, native pigs, and goats to coconut producers under the P850 million livestock dispersal program. The Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI) will implement the five-year program.

“It is now under process with the procurement. There is already a supplier for chicken, native pigs and goats,” BAI agricultural center chief Rene Santiago said.

Santiago noted the budget for this undertaking stands at P166 million annually or about P850 million for five years.

The funding for this particular program will be taken from the Coconut Farmers and Industry Trust Act, intended for the development of the coconut value chain.

Intended beneficiaries are coconut farmers who own or tend not more than five hectares of land, leaseholders or tenants who till coconut on not more than five hectares, and farm laborers who are harvesting coconuts or work in the processing of copra as a major means of livelihood.

“We are already integrating training of coconut farmers on how to raise animals. Farmers need to sign a form, and they need to declare that they have undergone trainings and seminars in order to start an animal raising business,” Santiago said.

He also said they are already integrating the training of coconut farmers on how to raise animals and beneficiaries will be required to attend seminars to start an animal raising business. INQ