The First Mindanao Coconut Summit that was originally set at an earlier date will be finally held in Mati City, Davao Oriental, on July 30 to 31.

The event is under the auspices of the Davao Region Coconut Industry Cluster and the Mindanao Business Council. Their partners include the Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA), Department of Trade and Industry, and the Department of Science and Technology. The hosts are the provincial government of Davao Oriental and the local government unit of Mati City.

The summit aims to explore the various possibilities of increasing the incomes of coconut farmers using a number of approaches. For one, the organizers see an urgent need to set up model farms using the integrated farming approach that will make coconut farming a viable business venture.

The confab will also focus on the commercial development of coconut products other than copra. One new opportunity is the production of coconut sugar out of the coconut sap or toddy. Traditionally, the sap is made into tuba, lambanog and vinegar. The organizers believe that higher returns could be had by making the sap into coco sugar, syrup and energy drink. Coconut sugar commands a high price and is in big demand locally as well as abroad because it is reported to have a high health value. It is a sugar in the form of fructose which is said to be better healthwise than the sucrose from sugarcane.

Another topic to be discussed will be the prospects of producing bio-organic fertilizer from coco coir dust, a byproduct of coconut fiber extraction. Organic fertilizer is increasingly becoming popular because of two reasons. One is the high cost of chemical fertilizers. The other is that bio-organic fertilizers are used in producing organic farm products preferred by health-conscious consumers.

A new technology using brick kiln to produce higher-quality coconut shell charcoal will also be presented. Then there will be discussions on possible intercrops for coconut trees. These include the growing of coffee and abaca in between the coconut trees.

The outlook on the use of coconut oil as biofuel will also be discussed. Also to be tackled is the status and control of Brontispa coconut leaf beetle which has become an increasingly serious pest of coconut not only in the Philippines but also in other coconut growing regions.