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Article: SPECIAL REPORT: BIOFUELS: BANE OR BOON?: Coconut, 'malunggay' present golden opportunity to farmers
- Article from:
- The Manila Times
- Article date:
- March 5, 2008
- Author:
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Copyright informationCopyright Content Parnership Pty Ltd Mar 5, 2008. Provided by ProQuest LLC. (Hide copyright information)
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Coconut and malunggay-among the biofuel crops that are environment-friendly and do not compete directly with food sources-are the "champions."
While coconut can be considered the perennial champion as a biofuel source, malunggay can emerge as the new champ.
The country today has more than 324 million coconut trees planted in more than three million hectares of lands, with 16 million more to be planted in the next one to three years under the ambitious planting program of the Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA).
A coconut tree, two to three years after being planted, can produce nuts for a maximum of 50 years. And with advances in the development of high-yielding breeds and the discovery ...