Philippine coconut replanting program faces P1.26 billion funding gap
The Philippine Coconut Authority is seeking an additional P1.26 billion to keep its target of planting 100 million coconut palms by 2028 on schedule. Current 2026 funding covers 16.85 million of the planned 25.4 million seedlings, leaving a deficit of more than 8.5 million.
Funding covers only part of 2026 planting target
The Philippine Coconut Authority is seeking an additional P1.26 billion to sustain the government’s target of planting 100 million coconut palms by 2028, SunStar reported. The shortfall affects funding for the next stage of a nationwide replanting campaign intended to renew aging farms and support the country’s coconut industry.
For 2026, the PCA plans to plant 25.4 million coconut seedlings. Available funding can cover only 16.85 million, leaving a deficit of more than 8.5 million seedlings. PCA administrator and chief executive officer Dexter Buted said the extra allocation is required to keep the campaign on schedule.
The planting drive is the centerpiece of the Accelerated Coconut Farmers and Industry Development Plan, or CFIDP. The long-term government program is designed to raise farm productivity, increase rural incomes and reinforce the Philippines’ position in the global coconut market.
Program combines replanting with farm support
The CFIDP extends beyond distributing seedlings. It combines farm rehabilitation and fertilization with intercropping, financing, research, processing and market development. This broader approach reflects the long production cycle of coconut farming: newly planted trees typically require several years before they begin bearing fruit.
The PCA said it has consequently shifted its focus from the number of seedlings distributed to their survival and long-term productivity. Nurseries across the country are growing planting material for future seasons, while partnerships with local government units, community organizations and the agency’s coconut hybridization program have expanded implementation.
Work has continued despite the financial constraints. The agency planted 8.6 million seedlings in 2024. Maintaining the pace, however, will depend on closing the 2026 funding gap, particularly because the unfunded volume represents more than one-third of the year’s 25.4 million-seedling target.
Fertilizer supports output during the maturation period
While farmers wait for new palms to mature, the government is also fertilizing existing coconut farms to improve current production and income. As of March, more than 9.17 million coconut palms had received fertilizer, benefiting over 78,000 farmers through higher yields, according to the PCA.
Agriculture Secretary Francisco P. Tiu Laurel Jr. said higher productivity would support farmer incomes, employment, exports and food security. The government views spending on replanting and farm rehabilitation as a long-term investment because the supply benefits do not appear immediately after seedlings are put in the ground.
Future supply depends on survival and productivity
Full funding would allow the PCA to rehabilitate millions of aging coconut trees, improve export competitiveness and provide coconut-growing communities with a more sustainable source of income, the agency said. For processors and buyers, the program’s importance lies in its potential to strengthen the future availability of coconuts and raw material for coconut products, including coconut oil.
The immediate issue is therefore not only the number of seedlings planted, but whether farms receive enough financing, fertilizer and technical support to bring young palms into productive use. If the additional P1.26 billion is not secured, the 2026 planting deficit could slow progress toward the 100 million-palm goal and postpone the expected expansion of agricultural supply.
