Facility to Boost Virgin Coco Oil Production in Naga, Cebu Inaugurated

(PIA)— The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) and its partners recently inaugurated a P10-million Shared Service Facility (SSF) in Barangay Inayagan, Naga City that will boost production of virgin coconut oil (VCO) as well as other coconut products.

“SSF is implemented mainly to bridge production gaps, in the processing of the products,” said DTI Cebu Provincial Director Nelia Navarro.

Navarro said the SSF in Naga will receive initially processed materials from another SSF in Toledo City.

These include the desiccated coconut and coco charcoal which will then be processed into VCO and coconut briquettes.

DTI forged ties with Southern Partners and Fair Trade Center (SPFTC), which according to its chairperson Geraldine Labradores, has ten barangays under them that will provide coconut-based products.

These include two villages in Aloguinsan, two in Sibonga, one in Toledo City, one in Carcar City, one in Compostela, one in Carmen, one in Minglanilla, and another one in Alegria.

Labradores said there is always a demand for VCO in the world market specially in South Korea and Spain.

“With this facility that will cater to the needs of coconut farmers, they will be more empowered not just to produce more but to learn about entrepreneurship,” Labradores said.

Part of the SSF are also technical trainings and workshops aside from the physical equipment.

In Cebu province alone there are 21 SSFs. (rmn/fcc/PIA7-Cebu)