DTI Foresees Good Market Potential for Antique Coco-Based Products

The coconut-based products produced by farmers and processors in the province of Antique have a promising market.  “The coco-based products have a good acceptance in the market that we encourage more processors to engage on it,” Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) provincial director Mutya Eusores said at the Hinun-anon (media conference) on Tuesday this week.
Among the products with good market potential are coco cookies, virgin coconut oil (VCO), coco peat, and coco lampshade.  To encourage more processors, Eusores said the DTI holds training for associations of coconut farmers.  Some 30 individuals joined the training on coconut-based food processing in the island municipality of Caluya on August 14-15, according to DTI Antique Industry Development Unit head Gevi Kristina Villafuerte, where the participants were taught how to make coco jam and virgin coconut oil.
The DTI also provided training and shared service facility on coco food production to the Anini-y Coco Food Producers Association in Barangay Nato in the municipality of Anini-y.  Association president Leo Laurio Lupango said they produce coconut cookies, buko pie and macaroons, which earned them a monthly average of P16,000 from consignments at the Produkto Antiqueño trade center in Barangay Dalipe and the Tindahan Local at the old Antique capitol in San Jose de Buenavista.  They also get orders from retailers in Iloilo City and other parts of Western Visayas and join trade fairs to increase sales.