‘Buko’ Juice from Aromatic Coconuts Gets Boost

The Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA) will promote the aromatic green dwarf (AROD) variety of coconuts as the principal source of sweet juice that is cherished by local and foreign consumers.

Known as Thai aromatic coconut, the variety is not actually new in the market since it had been grown since 1956 by Prof. D.G. Cendaña of the University of the Philippines College of Agriculture in Los Banos, Laguna (UPLB).

Cendana planted two seedlings of the variety in his yard and these later became the basis of a major study. PCA breeders collected the nuts and brought them to Bago Oshiro, Davao City where one of its research centers was located.

From the 85 seed nuts grown, 48 palms proved to be true to the expectations, with small nuts containing sweet juice, deep green and with narrow short leaflets.

The further development of the young nuts with sweet water was undertaken at the PCA’s Zamboanga Research Center (ZRC), which is now the major supplier of planting materials.

PCA says aromatic coconuts could be a boon to farmers who can use the sweet juice to supply a market hankering for organic juices from coconuts and other fruits, particularly after research showed “buko” juice could dissolve kidney stones.

AROD was registered with the National Seed Industry Council of the Department of Agriculture in August 2000 and it has been propagated in La Union, Quezon, Batangas, Laguna, Palawan, Negros Occidental, Misamis Oriental, Davao, Basilan and Zamboanga.

Owing to the high demand for planting materials, the PCA gene bank in Zamboanga City has become a beehive for the development of AROD seedlings and other local and foreign coconut ecotypes. The gene bank specializes in propagating planting materials for indigenous varieties.

It houses a collection of 107 Tall varieties, 53 dwarfs and 102 hybrid/line collections.

The center’s officer-in-charge Gerardo Baylon said they are encouraging the private sector to plant more varieties. “But when you plant it will always boil down to seed source,” he said.

Even as PCA may not be able to cope with the high demand for seedlings, Baylon said the private sector has a the capacity” for the seed propagation.

He revealed that the gene bank has been swamped with inquiries on how to invest in coconut plantations.

“Ang maganda rito one time ka lang magtatanim hindi tulad ng sugarcane,” he said.

PCA is also recommending 15 coconut hybrids for the National Coconut Planting and Replanting Program (NCPRP).

These hybrids possess high productivity and tolerance to adverse growing conditions and can produce between four and six tons of copra per year. They have higher medium chain fatty acid than traditional coconut varieties.

Farmers are now conscious about medium chain fatty acid content since it is vital for the production of virgin coconut oil and other products.

While the Philippine has traditionally relied on Tall varieties, PCA said there has been an increasing demand for dwarfs, which have become prevalent among hybrids and open-pollinated varieties (OPVs).

Breeders have proven in regional field trials that Philippine dwarfs like the Galas Green or Tacunan Green can surpass standards for young tender coconuts.

PCA officials in ZRC said they have patterned their recommendations for the variety farmers can cultivate based on the primary purpose of the producer or investor. Then they would later suggest if he could venture into intercropping or just stick to monocropping in order to maximize profits from individual farms. (biolife news service)