BUKIDNON — What was once considered simple farm waste is now a source of sustainable income for smallholder coconut farmers in Bukidnon.

On October 8, 2025, 16 Small Coconut Farmer Organizations (FOs) marked a major milestone by successfully transforming discarded coconut shells into a profitable commercial enterprise. Facilitated by the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Bukidnon through the RAPID Growth Project and the Coconut Farmers and Industry Development Plan (CFIDP), the initiative culminated in the groups' first trial shipment of high-quality charcoal to Donau Carbon Philippines Corporation in El Salvador City, Misamis Oriental.

The success of the shipment relied on a well-coordinated supply chain. Eleven of the FOs focused directly on charcoal production, while five other groups and individual farmers acted as coconut shell suppliers. Together, their collaborative efforts yielded a consolidated sale of 11.6 metric tons (11,680 kilograms) of premium charcoal. The participating organizations include NAKBACCCOFAC, Bayabason SCFO, Kitaotao SCFO, Miaray SCFO, BSCFAC, KCFAC, Salvacion SCFO, Talahiron MPC, Magsaysay SCFO, Cagawasan SCFO, Sampaguita SCFO, Matampay SCFO, Sampagar SCFA, New Compostela SCFO, Gutapol SCFO, and New Kidapawan MPC.

The groundwork for this milestone began in August 2025 during a series of charcoal quality improvement training sessions. These workshops equipped the farmers with the technical skills required to meet strict commercial market standards. The training paid off. Thanks to careful processing and proper handling, the entire 11.6-metric-ton shipment was recorded with zero quality deductions. While the initial market price was set at ₱38.00 per kilogram, Donau Carbon Philippines Corporation was so impressed by the exceptional quality that they granted an additional ₱12.00 incentive per kilogram. This 32% premium brought the final buying price to ₱50.00 per kilogram, generating a total revenue of ₱584,000.00 for the farmer organizations.

For the participating farmers, this achievement represents a major shift in how they do business. For the first time, they bypassed traditional local traders to secure a direct contract with a large institutional buyer.

To bring the experience full circle, the farmers toured the Donau Carbon plant during delivery. The walkthrough covered the entire production workflow—from cargo receiving and unloading to the cooking and grinding of charcoal—giving them firsthand insight and a better understanding of the market they now supply.