Health drink demand push Q1 PHL coco water exports up 300%

The Philippines exported nearly 4.49 million liters of fresh coconut water in the first quarter, up 300 percent from 1.12 million liters a year earlier, filling a surge in demand for health drink in major markets.

 

"The US was the country's top destination for coco water,” according to the Philippine Coconut Authority.

 

“Shipments to the US rose by 367.37 percent to 3.724 million liters compared to the year-ago figure of 796,887 liters," said PCA (PCA) administrator Euclides G. Forbes in an interview Thursday.

 

The first quarter shipments were valued at $4.78 million, or 260.56 percent more than the $1.32 million a year earlier.

 

In value terms, shipments to the US rose by 426.75 percent to nearly $4 million from $748,076.

 

Exports to the Netherlands went up 493.13 percent to 189,800 liters from 32,000 liters, with the corresponding export revenues up 645.01 percent to $208,602 from $28,000.

 

Shipments to Australia also increased by 362.55 percent to 65,219 liters valued at $80,430.

 

The increase in the shipments of fresh coconut water in the country's major markets make up for the decline in other destinations.

 

Exports to Brazil and Canada dropped during the first quarter, but the higher volume of shipments to the major markets more than made up the drop in shipments to Brazil and Canada, according to the PCA. —VS, GMA News