Marcos Wants 50M Coconut Trees Planted Next Year

President Marcos has ordered the Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA) to double its coconut planting target next year to 50 million trees to accelerate the industry's development and regain the country's position as the world's top producer of the commodity.

- By JASPER EMMANUEL ARCALAS

The Department of Agriculture (DA) said the President has approved an additional budget for the massive coconut tree planting program next year. Previously, the PCA was planning to plant 25 million trees.

Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. told The STAR that Marcos approved a budget of more than P7 billion for the program next year.

This aggressive planting strategy is part of a five-year program launched in 2023 to plant 100 million coconut trees by 2028.

So far, more than 8.5 million trees have already been planted in 2024, with at least 15 million more targeted for planting before the end of the year.