TACLOBAN CITY – The region now has its first and only virgin coconut oil (VCO) processor in Tanauan, Leyte.

This was revealed in an interview by Olive Tiu, president of Eastern Visayas Virgin coconut Oil Producers (EVVCOP).

According to her, this is a big step forward for the production of VCO in the region despite the fact that other regions are already promoting their VCO product and by-products.

“We the people of Region 8 should group together so that we will not lag behind other regions… We are the number three coconut producer in the country,” Tiu stressed.

She told Express that the VCO processor that is now operating in Tanauan can process up to 500 nuts per day.

And according to her, 15 nuts could already produce one liter of VCO which costs around P1, 000 in the market.

Tiu, who is a VCO producer herself, encourages the farmers to venture into VCO production because much can be earned from the VCO and by-products can also be derived form it.

She told Express that their organization is open to those who are willing to produce VCO and even to learn how to be producer of the product.

This early, she already predicted that the product would have a wide market and large demand.

“In fact we cannot anymore supply the demand of the product in the region; the reason why we invited more producers to join us because there will come a time that foreign demand of VCO would also grow,’ Tiu said.

Some of the by-products of VCO from Tanauan would be brought to the Saro-Saro/Tagay-Tagay Festival to be held at the Leyte Academic Center on February 4.