Photo courtesy of Agri Info Davao
Donation of 32,000 young coconuts offers a possible opening, but no commercial orders have been announced
MANILA — A shipment of 32,000 young coconuts from Davao to Liberia is giving Philippine agricultural officials an opportunity to explore West African markets, though the consignment is intended for humanitarian distribution rather than commercial sale.
Davao City-based Avante Agri-Products Philippines Inc. dispatched the coconuts in two 40-foot refrigerated containers bound for Monrovia, Liberia’s capital, according to the Department of Agriculture. The shipment comprises 1,600 sacks, weighing an estimated 50 metric tons.
Its declared free-on-board value is $22,400, a valuation of the cargo rather than evidence of revenue from Liberian customers. The coconuts are intended for distribution to rural communities, including through feeding programs.
The Agriculture Department said Liberia’s Ministry of Agriculture is helping facilitate the consignment and shipping company CMA CGM is providing temperature-controlled transport. The department’s Davao regional office described it as the first shipment of whole green young coconuts from the Philippines to Liberia.
Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. said the government wants initial shipments to lead to sustained demand and better returns for farmers. No orders for further shipments were cited in the department’s announcement.
The Philippines already exports a range of coconut products, including oil and processed foods. The Philippine Coconut Authority estimated in 2025 that about 2.8 million farmers depended directly on the industry.
In a separate effort to expand overseas access, officials have been assessing coconut manufacturers for the United Arab Emirates market. A government report published in October said nine of 24 companies evaluated under Project Coco Bridge were considered export-ready, although that designation does not establish sales.
