Coconut farmers, government agencies, local government units, and industry partners across the country joined a recent massive simultaneous coconut-planting activity targeting millions of seedlings to mark the 40th National Coconut Week.

In a news release on Monday, the Department of Agriculture – Philippine Coconut Authority (DA-PCA) said the nationwide initiative forms part of continuing efforts to strengthen the country’s coconut resource base, boost farm productivity and secure better opportunities for Filipino coconut farmers.

A key focus of the drive is replacing senile and unproductive coconut palms that have reached the end of their productive lifecycle with high-quality coconut seedlings.

“Every new seedling represents more than a future coconut tree. It represents the possibility of future harvests, additional farm income, improved productivity, and renewed opportunities for coconut-growing communities,” the DA-PCA said.

The initiative supports the broader goals of the Coconut Farmers and Industry Development Plan (CFIDP), which provides targeted interventions to elevate coconut productivity, increase farmers’ earnings and ensure the long-term sustainability of the sector.

It also highlights convergence among the PCA, CFIDP implementing agencies, local government units, and farmers’ organizations to ensure government support directly reaches ground-level communities.

The National Coconut Week was observed on Aug. 24 to 30. (PNA)