Virgin coconut oil (VCO) is a fast-developing, high-value coconut by-product. It surpasses the quality of coco oil from copra because of its extraction process. Being the purest form of coco oil, it has gained a huge market globally.

In the province of Negros Oriental, presence of VCO processors is already established.

Among these processors is the Barangay Liptong Small Coconut Farmers Association, Inc. or BLISCOFA who started to produce VCO in 2004. As an enterprise, it provides a sustainable income to farmer-members while encouraging the others to engage in coconut farming and marketing.

There are currently 168 members composed of 66 males and 102 females who are all residing in the Municipality of Valencia.

As an association and consistent exhibitor, they are awarded by the Department of Trade and Industry as Outstanding Exhibitor for 14 years in Tagbilaran, Bohol for VCO processing.

Managed by BLISCOFA, the Negros Oriental Virgin Coconut Oil Processing and Marketing Enterprise (NOVCOPME) under the Department of Agriculture’s Philippine Rural Development Project (DA-PRDP) is designed to mold its farmer-members into effective, efficient and learned entrepreneurs with increased productivity and household income.

The enterprise has a total project cost of Php6,600,851.96. This is divided between counterparts from the Government of the Philippines, Department of Agriculture, local government unit of Negros Oriental and the Proponent Group.

The fund has allowed the enterprise to purchase vehicle for the hauling of whole coconuts, delivery activities and acquire other machineries and equipment for nut processing.

The enterprise produces a hundred percent naturally processed, chemical and additive-free VCO from fresh coconut meat or its derivative for as long as it has not undergone any chemical processing after extraction. The raw materials used in the production of VCOundergoes strict quality checking to ensure high grade end-product.

Present during the ceremonial turnover of the Negros Oriental Virgin Coconut Oil Processing and Marketing Enterprise on June 8, 2023 in Dumaguete City is I-BUILD Component Head Cirilo N. Namoc.

Also at the event were PPMIU Negros Oriental Alternate I-REAP Component Head Senior Agriculturist Roy Serion, together with the board of directors from the partner cooperative.