LOS BAÑOS, Philippines—A new policy brief from the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) calls for a shift from largely low-value copra production toward higher-value processing, stronger farmer enterprises, and coordinated long-term investment to revitalize the coconut industry of Quezon Province, Philippines, which accounted for about 10 percent of national coconut production in 2023 and had the country's largest coconut production area that year.
Titled Revitalizing the Coconut Industry in Quezon Province, Philippines through Inclusive Enterprise Development and Strategic Roadmapping, the brief draws on field scoping missions, baseline assessments, and rapid value chain analyses conducted in Quezon Province to identify the technical and operational constraints facing enterprise development and recommend policy responses.
The brief was authored by Anna Gale C. Vallez, Gerlie T. Tatlonghari, and Kim Louisse A. Patagnan, who were all with SEARCA during the implementation of the project on which the policy brief is based.
The publication notes that many coconut-farming households in Quezon remain dependent on low-value copra and limited value addition. The industry also faces aging farmers and trees, youth outmigration, recurring typhoons, inadequate infrastructure and processing capacity, weak farmer organizations and financial systems, and fragmented markets.
From field evidence to policy recommendations
The policy brief goes beyond secondary sector data by drawing on evidence gathered through field assessments and value chain analyses.
Field assessments found that coconut productivity in several key municipalities was constrained by aging trees and typhoon-related frond loss, which affected sap and nut availability during recovery periods.
Enterprise assessments also identified quality-control problems in higher-value coconut products. Coconut sap sugar samples tested during the project averaged 5.8 percent moisture, exceeding the 3.5 percent maximum under the applicable Philippine National Standard. High moisture levels can cause clumping and shorten shelf life, potentially limiting access to formal retail markets. Artisanal lambanog producers, meanwhile, experienced batch discoloration and variable alcohol content linked to non-standardized equipment.
Baseline assessments further showed that farmers assessed through the project had limited or no exposure to advanced processing methods and Good Agricultural Practices. Focus group discussions found that while basic organizational structures existed among farmer associations, some lacked formal governance systems, financial liquidity, and formalized buyer relationships.
Women were heavily involved in coconut processing, including sap collection monitoring, coconut sugar cooking, virgin coconut oil filtration, and packaging, but administrative and board positions in local agricultural cooperatives remained predominantly occupied by men. Youth participation in field operations was also low, although interest increased when enterprise activities involved digital marketing, agro-processing technologies, and value chain logistics.
Moving beyond copra
Drawing on this evidence, the policy brief identifies the transition from raw copra production toward higher-value coconut derivatives as a viable pathway for increasing farmgate returns and diversifying rural household incomes. It also stresses that meeting applicable food safety and regulatory requirements is essential to improving access to more profitable domestic and export markets.
The brief recommends that the Provincial Government of Quezon align priority coconut replanting, farm rehabilitation, and livelihood diversification interventions with the Coconut Farmers and Industry Development Plan and coordinate with the Philippine Coconut Authority and other implementing agencies to access eligible support under the Coconut Farmers and Industry Trust Fund.
It also calls for site-appropriate coconut planting materials and complementary cash crops for intercropping, including coffee, cacao, and banana.
Another priority is expanded access to shared service facilities equipped with industrial dryers, food-grade processing equipment, and packaging facilities that would enable small-scale enterprises to process coconut sap and nuts into market-ready products under standardized conditions.
The brief also stresses that enterprises need support in meeting food safety, quality, and regulatory requirements. It recommends technical assistance for food safety management systems, including Good Manufacturing Practices and Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point where applicable, while distinguishing these from Food and Drug Administration regulatory authorizations such as licenses to operate and certificates of product registration.
Stronger organizations, greater roles for women and youth
Enterprise development also depends on stronger farmer organizations, hence the brief calls for targeted programs to strengthen enterprise management, financial literacy, and digital marketing, together with stronger cooperative governance. It recommends creating formal pathways for women who perform much of the processing work to occupy executive and board positions, while developing specialized agribusiness and technology roles that can encourage greater youth participation in the sector.
Sustaining the roadmap beyond 2026
With the existing Provincial Coconut Industry Roadmap covering 2024–2026, the brief recommends formally updating and extending the roadmap beyond its current period through an appropriate provincial policy instrument.
It also proposes establishing a permanent Provincial Multi-Stakeholder Council comprising the Philippine Coconut Authority, Department of Agriculture, Department of Trade and Industry, civil society organizations, and cooperative representatives. The council would oversee implementation, monitor enterprise development benchmarks, and help synchronize resources available from national programs.
For market development, a "Quezon Coconut Brand" is proposed as a provincial collective brand and quality seal. Supported by clear eligibility criteria, appropriate verification mechanisms, and compliance with applicable regulatory requirements, the brand could strengthen local product identity and market positioning while reducing dependence on fragmented informal channels.
The brief concludes that revitalizing Quezon Province's coconut industry will require systemic, long-term investment in infrastructure, stronger institutions, and inclusive enterprise development. Coordinated action by local governments, national agencies, farmer organizations, and the private sector could strengthen coconut-farming livelihoods and enhance the province's competitiveness in higher-value domestic and export coconut markets.