LEGAZPI CITY: Albay governor Joey Salceda demanded Agriculture Secretary Proceso J. Alcala to totally ban or prohibit the cutting of coconut trees in Bicol specifically in Albay to bring back the glory of coconut industry in the countryside.
The stand of coconut palms in Albay province is dwindling following the unabated cutting of coconut trees converted as cheap coco lumber.

The Philippine Coconut Authority in Bicol reported that there are more than 300,000 coconut farmers across the region dependent on coconut farming while 2.1 million Bicolanos are directly or indirectly dependent on the Coconut industry.

Among the six provinces of Bicol, Camarines Sur has the highest volume of copra in 2010 with 93,833 metric tons harvested from 119,045 hectares of land planted to coconut, followed by Sorsogon with 97,738 metric tons harvested from 97,692 hectares, Masbate with 87,478 metric tons harvested from 91,076 hectares and Camarines Norte with 82,002 metric tons harvested from 85,375 hectares.

Albay province ranked fifth only in coconut production with 38,593 metric tons harvested from 40,180 hectares. Catanduanes turned out 13,807 metric tons from 14,375 hectares for total of 447,764 hectares.

A year ago, Bicol coconut farmers enjoyed a windfall from a bumper harvest after producing a total of 430,054 metric tons of copra valued at P11.9 billion, providing some $1.5 billion worth of coconut products to the world market, the Philippine Coconut Authority Bicol reported.

Following Salceda’s request, Alcala ordered the total prohibition of cutting of trees in Albay.

“Effective Monday (January 30), there will be no cutting of coconut trees based on the request of governor Joey Salceda,” Alcala told reporters in a press conference held at Marine Fleet Quarter Deck, Naval Forces for Southern Luzon here.