gulftoday.ae - 

Filipinos in the UAE – whose agricultural lands back home are being planted with coconuts – have an opportunity to get into an industry which faces huge demand in the international market.

This was among what The Gulf Today gathered from three of eight participants at the “Sial Middle East 2015” food exhibition held at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (Adnec) from Dec 7 to 9.

“We are looking for more coconut plantations to develop, because the demand for coco products internationally is continually rising. We also want to help our farmers,” ProSource International Inc Sales & Marketing Manager, Joricel Barba, said on Saturday.

The encouraging news came a week after Manila’s Department of Agriculture (DA)-Agribusiness Assistant Secretary Eng Leandro Gazmin led a team of DA career people for the “Investment Forum for Overseas Filipino Workers” in Dubai.

In that gathering, a big percentage of the over 150 participants are owners of at least a few hectares of idle, mismanaged or slightly managed coconut plantations.

photo CC by Roberto Verzo