PCA curbs coco seedlings smuggling from Leyte to China

TACLOBAN CITY, June 28 (PNA) -– The Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA) regional office here said the government has already curbed the alleged smuggling of coconut seedlings from Leyte Island to China.

PCA Eastern Visayas Regional Manager Joel Pilapil said with the coordination efforts with various government agencies, the rampant buying of partially de-husked coconuts has stopped in Leyte and Southern Leyte provinces.

“After we created a task force and stepped up our monitoring activities, Cebu-based brokers have stopped their trading activities in our place and farmers sell their produce to local processors,” Pilapil told reporters.

The PCA had sought the assistance of Philippine Ports Authority, Philippine Coast Guard, Bureau of Customs, Philippine National Police and other enforcement agencies both in this region and in Central Visayas to intercept shipment of partially de-husked nuts.

“The activity is very suspicious because we only issue transport permits to totally de-husked coconuts,” Pilapil said.

Exporting unhusked and partially husked matured nuts is strictly prohibited under Executive Order 1016 issued by then President Ferdinand Marcos in 1985.

De-husked coconuts are used by China as seedlings to grow their own coconut trees. The Gight Illicit Trade (Fight IT) Movement labelled this activity as violation of the law, but also an “act of economic sabotage.”

Citing reports, Fight IT said at least 200,000 coconuts from Leyte are shipped to Cebu daily in a given period early this year.

The de-husked coconuts are bought from farmers in Leyte for PHP12 to PHP13 per piece and shipped to Cebu in 10-wheeler trucks.

Monitoring has been intensified in Maasin, Liloan, and San Ricardo ports in Southern Leyte; Baybay, Ormoc, Tacloban, and Isabel ports in Leyte; Allen and San Isidro ports in Northern Samar; 

Catbalogan and Calbayog ports in Samar.

“There are Cebu-based traders that bring coconut seedlings to China since our local buyers have no capability to ship this product directly to China,” Pilapil said.

The PCA said that China is not known to be a coconut growing country with only Hainan province as the most suitable area for this crop. (PNA)

FFC/SQM