THE Philippines is rapidly scaling up its coconut replanting efforts in a bold attempt—envisioned by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.—to reclaim its historic position as the world’s top coconut producer (Ph is the top coconut exporter, however it is the #2 coconut producer) a title lost to Indonesia nearly 30 years ago.
The Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA), whose policymaking board is chaired by Agriculture Secretary Francisco P. Tiu Laurel Jr., is now targeting the planting of 50 million coconut trees in 2026 alone—a dramatic increase from the original goal of 25 million.
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.
“The initial target for next year was 25 million trees, but on the orders of President Marcos, we are doubling our efforts. Our new goal for 2026 is to plant 50 million new coconut trees,” said Secretary Tiu Laurel. “The president has allocated additional funds for this, and we will involve coconut farming communities to fast-track the production of planting materials.”
The PCA’s revised strategy significantly front-loads the replanting effort while also aiming to boost the productivity of the country’s 340 million existing coconut trees through the fertilization program. Many of these are aging or “senile,” yielding only 40 nuts annually—just a third of their optimal output.
This massive replanting drive comes amid rising global demand for coconut oil, driven in part by the European Union’s decision to classify palm oil as environmentally unsustainable due to high indirect land-use change. The EU plans to phase out palm oil imports by 2030 unless its land-use classification is revised, opening new opportunities for coconut-producing countries like the Philippines. Meanwhile, global coconut oil prices are also rising due to lower copra output and surging demand for fresh coconuts as a healthful juice option.
In 2024, Indonesia produced 17.13 million metric tons of coconuts, compared to the Philippines’ 14.77 million. Much of the Philippines’ decline stems from the devastation of Typhoon Yolanda in 2013, which wiped out an estimated 10 million coconut trees. Reviving the sector is now both an economic and strategic imperative.
With a P1.8 billion budget for the fertilization program approved by President Marcos for next year, the PCA aims to boost yields from existing trees to increase farmers’ income. “The goal is to raise yields to at least 60 coconuts per tree annually through fertilization with agricultural grade salt (AGSF) while we wait for the new coconut trees to mature,” said Tiu Laurel.
Part of the budget for 2026 will be used to procure AGSF from local producers—a move aligned with a new law to revitalize the Philippine salt industry. The PCA will also distribute corn and coffee planting materials to coconut farmers for intercropping to help diversify and increase their income.
With global agriculture shifting toward sustainability, the Philippines is planting not just coconut trees, but the seeds of a long-awaited resurgence of the coconut industry.
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