San Fernando, Pampanga—Senate Committee on Agriculture and Food chair Senator Cynthia Villar urged coconut farmers across the country to venture into other sources of income, such as planting cash crops and inter-cropping, to boost their source of livelihood.
Villar issued the call in the wake of fluctuating copra prices being experienced by farmers in Leyte and Samar islands. The price of copra currently hovers around P10 per kilo.
“Coco farmers should think other source of income like inter-cropping, livestock raising and coffee and cacao farming,” VIllar told reporters on the sideline of Hugpong Ng Pagbabago opening salvo political rally held at the Capitol grounds Tuesday (Feb. 12).
Aside from copra, Villar said coco farmers should venture into coco water and coco sugar as these products are highly in-demand abroad.
“I attended a food fair in Germany where coco water is being processed into coco sugar,” said Villar, adding that the government would provide training and processing equipment.
