P5.5 Million for Coconut Wine Production
The lowly “tuba” or coconut toddy will soon have a high quality wine product that meets international standard as the Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA) and private contract producer signed a P5.5 million product development tie-up.
The Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) for the Production of High Quality Coconut Wine from Sap/Nectar of Coconut Inflorescence was signed recently by Administrator Oscar G. Garin for the PCA and Mr. Marius V. Diaz for the NILAK Research and Development Services as the private contract producer awarded to undertake the project.
“The project aims to produce a socially acceptable alcoholic beverage of high quality from coconut sap or nectar” Garin bared elaborating that the wine to be developed will have an estimated alcohol content of 12 to 13 percent and naturally endowed with vinous quality of aroma, flavor, and complexity that will upgrade the quality of the lowly tuba into a conventional wine that meets international standard.
Under the MOA, the PCA shall provide P5.5 million to finance all project expenditures and shall organize an in-house project team to closely coordinate with the producer in all stages. The producer for its part will undertake all the necessary work that include assessment, production, procurement/fabrication of equipment, documentation, evaluation of the product and to turn over to PCA all equipment purchased and used for the project.
According to the administrator, the project will process and produce about 1,200 liters a month of quality coconut sap wine or approximately 7,200 liters over a period of six months and an acceptable ageing period of four months equivalent to 9,600 bottles of 750 milliliter content, and observing good practices from sap-to-wine process, and transport system and other logistical considerations.
“All intellectual property rights created under the project such as registration and patent are deemed assigned, transferred and conveyed to PCA,” Garin declared stressing that the PCA intends to transfer the technology to viable coconut farmers’ cooperatives or enterprises in coconut growing areas. “The ultimate beneficiaries of the project are the coconut farmers who will be given another livelihood activity” Garin concluded.