Chinese, Malaysian firms explore coconut shell processing venture in PH

Chinese and Malaysian investors are eyeing the establishment of a coconut shell processing facility in Davao del Norte, a project that could provide coconut farmers in the Davao Region with an additional source of income from agricultural waste, the Department of Agriculture-Region 11 (DA-11) said on Friday, Oct. 30.

Representatives of China's Tianjin Tianchang Company and Malaysia's Borneo New Energy Holding Berhad have inspected six potential sites for the proposed venture, with the Anflo Industrial Estate emerging as the leading candidate for the planned processing and storage hub.

The facility is expected to process about 20,000 metric tons of coconut shells annually into value-added products such as activated carbon, charcoal briquettes, shisha charcoal and honeycomb activated carbon blocks.

According to DA-11, the project could create a new market for coconut-producing communities by turning what was once considered a low-value byproduct into an additional source of income for farmers and their organizations.

The investment opportunity emerged from engagements during the Sabah International Expo 2026 in Kota Kinabalu.

Discussions among the investors, industrial estate managers, and government agencies are now underway to move the project forward.