Phl to host 1st World Coconut Congress in August

The United Coconut Association of the Philippines (UCAP) in cooperation with the Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA), the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) are holding the 1st World Coconut Congress to deliberate every significant issue and facilitate links of more than 500 global stakeholders.

The conference and exhibition is slated from Aug. 14 to 16, 2018 at the SMX Convention Center in Manila.

Some of the world’s industry leaders and medical experts will gather to take part in the conference. Among them are Bruce Fife of the Coconut Research Center; Dr. Mary Newport of Spring Hill Hospital; Coconut Oil Refiners Association president Jesus Arranza, Strategic Development Cooperation Asia CEO Ivan Idrovo; and Dr. Julian MgGill of LMC International, Southeast Asia.

The highlight of the event will be the plenary sessions, which will facilitate sharing of insights—coconut supply and value chain, processing technologies, product innovations and marketing trends, quality, certifications, labeling, and safety standards as marketing tools, and health and wellness.

The exhibit will give way to research firms and manufacturers to showcase their innovations, products, and services that are aimed at engaging and persuading decision makers from across various industries.

Another component of the Congress is the business matching facility (B2B) to be handled by the DTI.

The Philippine coconut industry is the top agricultural export revenue generator.

Coconut exports reached over $2 billion (at least P100 billion) for the first time last year, making the industry among the few ones that bring more than a billion dollars to the national coffers annually.