Hanoi, Oct. 2 -- Leaders of the coconut industry of the Philippines have emphasised the need to build a sustainable supply and slow the conversion of land to oil palm cultivation in order to maintain the sector's global competitiveness. Coconut oil is a key agricultural export of the Philippines, but its prices can be highly volatile, such as when supply drops during storm seasons. Competition from alternative products like palm oil can also suppress demand for coconut oil. The Philippine government has planned to establish more shared processing facilities to help farmers produce value-added products themselves. However, farmers still face the risk of bankruptcy when global prices drop sharply. The government's policy emphasises the need t...