SAN PASCUAL, Batangas (December 22, 225)—Agriculture Secretary Francisco P. Tiu Laurel Jr. on Monday led an ocular inspection of the facilities of United Coconut Chemicals Inc., as the government reassesses whether to proceed with the long-planned sale of the once-dominant coconut chemicals producer amid renewed global demand for coconut-based products.
Established in 1981 by then President Ferdinand E. Marcos Sr. and Ambassador Eduardo M. Cojuangco Jr., Cocochem was once the largest coconut chemicals and oleo fats factory in Southeast Asia. It was the first in the region to produce fatty alcohols via the fatty acid route using German-designed Lurgi technology.
The complex also features a private jetty capable of handling 35,000-deadweight-ton vessels, a logistical advantage that supported its export-driven growth.
Today, it generates income primarily from land leases, storage tank and warehouse rentals, power distribution, wastewater treatment, pier and weighbridge operations, dockage fees, water supply, and housing rentals. ### (Photos by Ian Leaño, AFID)
