Philippines aims to plant 100 million coconut trees by 2028

The Philippine government is targeting to plant 100 million coconut trees by 2028 to boost the country's coconut industry, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. announced during his fifth State of the Nation Address (SONA) on Monday. This initiative aims to ensure the stability of the coconut industry for decades to come. Marcos reported that 18 million coconut trees have already been planted under his administration, and planting efforts are ongoing. "Our goal is that by the end of the Administration, we will have planted 100 million coconut trees. This will guarantee the stability of our coconut industry for decades to come," he stated. Data from the Philippine Statistics Authority as of the end of 2025 showed coconut production reached 14.506 million metric tons, a slight increase from 14.5 million MT in 2024. Last year, Marcos vowed to ask Congress to amend the Coconut Farmers and Industry Trust Fund Act to make it more responsive to farmers' needs and boost exports, but proposed amendments are still pending in both chambers of Congress at the committee level. Moreover, Marcos highlighted that agricultural production rose in 2023 due to various programs such as capital, farm inputs, equipment, training, and insurance. These include the deployment of 145 rice processing systems, three large cold storage facilities, and nearly 40,000 pieces of machinery. The Department of Agriculture will also train farmers on modern methods to prevent pests and diseases like Avian Flu and African Swine Fever. Source: GMA News Philippines