Biotech Updates

Philippine Gov't Funds Research to Enrich Copra Meal

July 20, 2012

The Philippines' Department of Science and Technology (DOST) has allotted P8 million to fund a research project that aims to improve the protein content of copra meal. The research project, funded by the Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic, and Natural Resources Research and Development (PCAARRD), DOST's arm institution, aims to find ways to decrease the fiber content of copra meal (coconut meat minus the oil) and improve its protein content up to 42 percent, or almost the same as that of soybean meal.

The research will be conducted by the University of the Philippines Los BaƱos-National Institute of Biotechnology and Molecular Biology (Biotech) and the UPLB-Animal and Dairy Science Cluster (ADSC). PCAARRD reported that the country imports almost half a billion dollars worth of soybean meal for feed every year thus developing a potential replacement of soybean for feed even at partial level will translate to savings in foreign exchange.

For more information, visit http://ovcre.uplb.edu.ph/index.php?option=com_k2&view=item&id=123:research-on-enriched-copra-meal-ongoing.