DINALUNGAN, Aurora , Philippines – Agriculture and local officials plan to transform a 133-hectare farm in this northern town into a laboratory for different coconut varieties, a project that is envisioned to turn the province into Luzon’s coconut capital and revive the dying coconut industry in the country.

The modern coco farm project was unveiled during the inauguration of the P10.3-million Aurora Province Coconut Development Center in Barangay Dibaraybay here Monday. The APCDC houses the administration building, perimeter fence, access road and elevated water tank.

The rites were also highlighted by the inauguration of the APCDC’s warehouse, commissioning of electrical and potable water systems worth P1.27 million and the signing of a memorandum of understanding with the actual settlers and tillers of the land.

The plan to set up the center, which was initiated by Sen. Edgardo Angara and House Deputy Majority Leader Juan Edgardo Angara, was firmed up in October 2008 following the signing of a me-morandum of agreement among the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, the Philippine Coconut Authority led by administrator Oscar Garin, the provincial government represented by Gov. Bellaflor Angara-Castillo and the municipal government represented by Mayor Tito Tubigan.

The center was operationalized through a P118.6-million funding from various government partner agencies. The construction of the farm-to-market road leading to the site was financed by Rep. Angara.

Dennis Calub, PCA regional manager for Central Luzon and project director of the APCDC, said the project site houses a two-hectare nursery where thousands of different varieties of coconuts from all over the country were grown, including 6,719 polybag seedlings.

Calub said 50 hectares in the site were already planted with 8,210 coco seedlings which were intercropped with a four-hectare banana plantation, a two-hectare sweet potato farm, a two-hectare cassava farm and coffee beans set in six-plot seedbeds.

Sen. Angara said with the establishment of the center, 97 residents of this town have landed jobs, each of whom is earning a minimum income of P5,000 monthly. He said the plan to establish a modern coco farm would help resuscitate the coconut industry in the country.

Angara, a former agriculture secretary, noted that the coconut industry is on its death throes in some parts of the country where 60 of 81 provinces are coconut-producing provinces.

“Remember that throughout Luzon, it is only in Aurora where coconut is a sunrise industry,” he said, adding the industry is teeming with potentials because of the worldwide demand for vegetable oils derived from coconuts.

He said that there is a great demand for Aurora coconuts from other places, including 20,000 coconut seedlings from Laoag alone.

Coconuts from the province are considerably tall and can withstand typhoons. In four to five years, each tree is fully grown.

The event was graced by Rolando Imperial, director of the North Luzon Agribusiness Quadrangle and concurrent assistant regional director for Central Luzon of the Department of Agriculture, Bureau of Post Harvest Research and Extension director Ricardo Cachuela and representatives from the Agricultural Training Institute.

Source: http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=575532&publicationSubCategoryId=77