Filipino scientists are encouraging those with tissue culture laboratories as well as those who are planning to put up one to adopt the makapuno embryo culture technology and help the country meet the growing local and export demands for makapuno.

In a press conference by the Department of Science and Technology’s Philippine Council for Agriculture, Forestry and Natural Resources Research and Development (PCARRD – DOST), Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA) Tissue Culture Division chief Erlinda Rillo said that at present, embryo culture technology is the “only way to mass produce true-to-type makapuno palms.”

PCARRD had funded the establishment of a Makapuno Comprehensive Technology Development and Commercialization Program, in which six makapuno embryo culture laboratories were established all over the country.

If the makapuno embryo culture technology is used, Rillo said, investors can be assured of 100 percent makapuno nuts as compared to the traditional makapuno-bearing palms, which only yields a maximum of 25 percent makapuno nuts.

According to Rillo, only 341.02 hectares of required hectarage had been established as of July 5, 2007. This means that 94,782 embryo cultured makapuno (ECMs) or about 70.73 percent are still needed to meet the local and international demand for makapuno.

Rillo said the gap is 3,994,530 kilograms (kg) of makapuno meat per year.

She added that in Region 4-A, the demand for makapuno is about 1,182,756 kg/yr but the supply is only about 84,462.

For Metro Manila, there is no supply of makapuno but the demand is about 1,327,068 kg/yr.

“There is a growing export demand,” she added, saying that makapuno is the sixth non-traditional coconut export of the country. The others are glycerin, shampoo, virgin coconut oil, nata de coco, and milk powder.

In 2007, about 68 metric tons (MT) of makapuno were exported, mainly in the United States (19MT), followed by United Arab Emirates (UAE), Canada, Saudi Arabia, United Kingdom, and Qatar.

In the country alone, Rillo said makapuno has “high commercial value,” mainly for pastries and ice cream production.

Other industries where the potential of makapuno is being tapped are in the pharmaceuticals, medical, and personal care industries, said Rillo.

Makapuno, an “important coconut mutant” from the country, comes from the Filipino word “puno” meaning “full”.

Its formation is due to high accumulation of galactomannan in maturing makapuno nut.

Makapuno contains 58 milligrams (mg) of calcium, 59 mg of phosphorus, 9.5 grams of carbohydrates, 194 kilocalories of energy, 2.4 grams of protein, five grams of fiber, 1.4 mg of iron, 8 mg of ascorbic acid, 0.6 mg of niacin, and 0.02 mg of thiamine and riboflavin.