Coconut micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) will take their products to a wider pool of buyers this week as the government pushes to turn the country’s coconut resources into higher-value businesses.

The 2026 COCONUT Philippines Trade Fair, running from 26 to 30 August at the SMX Convention Center Manila in Pasay City, will give participating enterprises opportunities to secure orders, find institutional buyers and establish new market partnerships.

The event forms part of the 40th National Coconut Week, held from 24 to 30 August, and reflects the industry’s growing focus on moving beyond raw and traditional coconut products.

Organized by the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), through its Bureau of Market Development, Promotions, and OTOP (DTI-BMDPO), together with the Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA) and Coconut Farmers and Industry Development Plan (CFIDP), the fair will feature products spanning food, health and wellness, personal care, home and lifestyle.

Business Connect will facilitate targeted business-matching sessions between participating “cocopreneurs” and potential institutional buyers. Business talks and cooking demonstrations will also cover entrepreneurship, product development, food applications and market trends.

The expanded participation comes after the 2025 trade fair generated P96.9 million in sales for 213 participating cocopreneurs.

Government agencies implementing the CFIDP will also showcase programs, technologies and research supporting farmers and enterprises, from farm productivity and rehabilitation to processing and market access.

The CFIDP is funded through the Coconut Farmers and Industry Trust Fund created under Republic Act No. 11524, or the Coconut Farmers and Industry Fund Act.

The National Coconut Week, observed annually under Presidential Proclamation No. 142, highlights the contribution of the coconut sector to livelihoods and the broader economy.

This year’s celebration underscores the industry’s push to turn coconut into more than a commodity by creating products, businesses and markets that generate greater value for Filipino producers.