Agri sector consultative forum at BIT-IC Tagbilaran on July 7, 2022

The forum was a joint activity of the Bohol Cattle Raisers Association of the Philippines (BCRAP) led by its Chairman Avelino Puracan and the Bohol Coconut Development Council (BCDC) headed by former Vice Governor Dionisio Balite. The group presented the current status, issues, and concerns of the livestock and coconut industry to Governor Aris Aumentado for coordination with provincial government agricultural policies.
Governor Aumentado advised the group to prepare proposals and plans for submission to the Provincial Government of Bohol (PGB) so counter proposals and further consultative meetings can be conducted. He observed that the industry can use more support from the government and other stakeholders. They need to be more aware of the industry through roadshows, information drives, and special events like rodeos.
Pharmacist Jane from Inabanga gave updates on the coconut industry, particularly on the potential of virgin coconut oil (VCO). There are two categories of VCO, the pharmaceutical grade and the health and wellness variety. The Inabanga coconut coop needs more VCO producers for both categories. Philexport Cebu, an umbrella organization and the voice of the entire export industry in Central Visayas, is partnering with Lamac Multi-purpose Cooperative (LAMAC) to source all agricultural products for export. The Bohol agriculture hub is positioned to provide the best natural products. Bio-natural VCO is produced from native coconut, not the dwarf or the hybrid coconut variety. There are two coconut nurseries in Bohol, the Central Visayas Coconut Seed Production Center in Calanggaman, Ubay, and the Loay Code Farmer in La Salinas, Loay but these nurseries produce only the hybrid and dwarf varieties of coconut seedlings. There has to be a coconut nursery for the native (karaan) coconut variety.
Virgie de la Fuente, the president of the Philippine Mango growers group, shared a possible response by the mango group to the recent typhoon which destroyed mango trees. The damaged mango trees can be replaced with the Giant Catemon variety which can bear fruit after 2 years with a recovery rate of 75 to 80 percent. Another variety, the Sweet Magnolia, can fruit after one year without the need of a flower inducer. She also informed the coconut growers that there is a global importer based in Paris that can accept 80,000 young coconuts daily. Ideally, these young coconuts must be of the sweet water variety and quick frozen. Individual Quick Freezing (IQF) is different from blast freezing as the products processed by the latter can last only 48 hours while the IQF products can store much longer. The de-shelled young coconut with only the meat and water are quick-frozen for lesser shipping bulk and convenience. She cited the case of Vietnam which converted the $2B per year rice production facilities to IQF fruits and vegetables generating $8B annually. The short-term producing sweet water coconut variety can be intercropped with hot chili and onions which can yield about another 250,000 pesos per hectare annually. Nine hot chili plants can be grown in a square meter. The volume of young coconuts processed by LAMAC is distributed as 80% meat, 10% VCO, and 10% seedlings. Seedlings are sold at 200 each and a hectare can produce 414 seeds per cropping with trees spaced 6 meters apart.
Avelino Puracan reported that the Bohol Dairy Cooperative (BODACO) now pays 70 pesos per liter of carabao milk and still studying if they can buy cow's milk at 50 pesos per liter. BCRAP can help address the shortage of milk supply for BODACO.
Johny Samson, the BCRAP-OPA representative, informed the group that guidelines will be formulated regarding the 35 heads of cattle to be dispersed to members. The DA-NDA training for the dairy cattle recipients will be conducted this coming July 13 to 15 at DA-NDA Ubay.
The joint forum was participated in by 80 cattle raisers and coconut growers.

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