January 6, 2025

Philippine agriculture official expands copra meal project to country's Western Visayas

Philippine Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. has ordered the expansion of the Protein-Enriched Copra Meal (PECM) Commercialization Project to the country's Western Visayas region.

Developed by the University of the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB) Biotech Center, PECM — a more affordable and sustainable alternative protein source in animal feed — is made through a fermentation process that increases by 45% the protein content in copra, a by-product of coconut.

Compared to conventional commercial feeds, PECM has yielded a 3.9% and 0.4% reduction, respectively, in feed costs from trials conducted on finfish and shrimp.

The project was launched in 2022 after the price of imported soybean meal in animal feed jacked up due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the Russia-Ukraine war.

Farmers in Calabarzon (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, and Quezon) and Soccsksargen (South Cotabato, Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat, Sarangani, and General Santos) were the first ones to benefit from the project.

Tiu Laurel hopes the PECM project expansion to Western Visayas will help farmers and feed producers in the region.

"The programme not only helps reduce feed costs but also supports the local economy by creating new markets for coconut by-products, which are often underutilised," he said.

- The Manila Times