All systems go for coffee farming

“Good, better, best beans.”

This was according to Sec. Proceso J. Alcala, the Secretary of the Department of Agriculture, as he addressed coffee connoisseurs about his yearning for the quality of beans he wants produced by the country last Monday, November 28, 2011 at the 2^nd Philippine Coffee Investors Forum held at the Marco Polo Hotel.

The forum, which was graced by coffee growers and high ranking government officials, aims to share and improve the different schemes of growing coffee beans and as well as to entice farmers to plant these beans in lieu of other fruit bearing plants to help sustain the growth of the industry here in our country.

Sec. Alcala added that although the country is considered as one of the top producers of coffee in the world , we are still incapable of producing coffee for our country's consumption. He said that while the demand is high, the supply of coffee produced in the country is low.

Figures show that of the 64,000 metric tons of coffee that Filipinos consume yearly, half of this are being imported from Indonesia and Vietnam.

According to Sec. Alcala, the Department of Agriculture is going to support the coffee bean farmers with their needs. The Department is set to provide post harvest facilities, allocation of budget for farm to market roads and ensured the farmers of adequate water supply.

Also gracing the event is Director of DA-Agribusiness Marketing Assistance Service Leandro H. Gazmin. He said that behind oil, coffee is the largest traded commodity in the country. Unfortunately, the production of coffee is decreasing for the past five years.

Dir. Gazmin added that there are advantages in growing coffee. He noted that the coffee plant, with proper maintenance, can be productive for over fifty years at the same time, the plant is suitable for Philippine climatic and soil condition. Dir. Gazmin also said that coffee is a non perishable low maintenance crop, has high pest/disease tolerance, it is adaptable to various agro-ecological conditions and has available technical assistance and training coming from the Department of Agriculture.

In a report by the National Focal Person of the National Convergence Initiative for Sustainable Rural Development Marriz Manuel B. Agbon, he cited that in Bukidnon alone, almost 400 hectares are potential areas for coffee farming while in Davao del Sur, almost 100 hectares are suitable for this type of business. He also added that in Maco, Compostella Valley alone, 201 hectares have been used for coffee beans and it yielded 3.4 million kilos in harvest. In Lupon, Davao Oriental, 550 hectares of land are set aside for the coffee plant and it yielded about 891,000 kilos of harvest.

Corporate Affairs Head and Senior Vice President Ms. Edith de Leon of Nestle Philippines said that their company has a number of buying stations scattered over the country. They have four buying stations in Mindanao alone. These are located in Tagum, San Frans, Cagayan de Oro and General Santos City. She also noted that Nestle is investing in coffee training for farmers. According to Ms. de Leon, Nestle Philippines have trained 2,100 farmers way over their 1,600 target when they started the program.

Nestle Philippines is the biggest buyer of coffee beans in the country.

Also present in the event are Marlo D. Mendoza, Asst. Secretary for Special Projects, DENR, Jerry S. Pacturan, Undersecretary of DAR, Marriz Manuel B. Agbon, National Focal Person for the National Convergence Initiative for Sustainable Rural Development, Bernadette Romulo Puyat, DA Undersecretary for Special Concerns and DENR Undersecretary Demetrio L. Ignacio, Jr..