Can UCPB, Land Bank and coco levy fund meet credit needs of coconut farmers?

COCONUT farmers are among the poorest Filipinos. A major reason is the meager assistance they get from the government. Their situation is both ironic and unacceptable, especially since the coconut industry’s main product — coconut oil — has been among our top agricultural exports for decades.

The coconut levy was established during the martial law period under President Marcos. It was a tax imposed on the sale of copra by coconut farmers. Its objective was to uplift coconut farmers and the coconut industry.