Republic of the Philippines
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Philippine Center for Postharvest
Development and Mechanization
CLSU Compound, Science City of Muñoz, Nueva Ecija

NEWS STORIES

Cocowater to boosts income of copra farmers
by (March 13, 2015)
The Department of Agriculture is giving additional source of income to copra farmers through the processing of mature coconut water.


A Coco Water Processing Technology Pilot Testing and Business Incubation Facility was recently inaugurated in Camarines Sur to further test and support the commercial viability of mature coconut water, improve the profitability of coconut by-products and provide additional income and livelihood to coconut farmers in the Bicol region and eventually the whole country.


"Coconut farmers are the poorest in the agriculture
sector. But this time, we will use coconut to change the lives of coconut farmers in the country through the non-traditional coco water," Agriculture Secretary Proceso Alcala said.


The prototypes will be set-up as village-level facilities near farming communities to be operated by farmer cooperatives. Thus, farmers will directly benefit and jobs will be created for the communities.


The facility houses the Cocowater Pasteurizer and Chiller developed by the Philppine Center for Postharvest Development and Mechanization (PHilMech).
The machine can extend the shelf-life of mature coconut water up to one month by inactivation of spoilage microorganisms. It has an output capacity of 500 liters per day or approximately 1,600 bottles at 300ml per bottle.


The facility was constructed through the concerted efforts of the Philippine Rural Development Project (PRDP), PHilMech, DA-RFO5, Camarines Sur Provincial Local Government Unit and Central Bicol University of Agriculture (CBSUA). (Source: www.pia.gov.ph)