CL Stakeholders Chart Coffee Industry Plans with Expert

More than 30 stakeholders in the coffee industry of Central Luzon met last 20 October at the conference room of the Department of Trade and Industry Regional Office 3 (DTI-3) to chart plans to take advantage of the growing global and local market for coffee products.

In that Regional Coffee Industry Cluster consultative meeting, DTI-3 Regional Director Judith P. Angeles welcomed the participants and resource speakers. She hoped that the convergence of efforts to develop the coffee industry in the region will redound to the benefit of all industry players especially the coffee growers and small entrepreneurs supported by the DTI’s Shared Services Facilities (SSFs) Program. She noted that there is a big room for improvement as Central Luzon only produces about 2% of the total country production while the majority is provided by Mindanao coffee producers.

Pacita Juan, Vice President of the Philippine Coffee Board and founder of Figaro Coffee, discussed the current trends in the development of coffee as a high value product. She cited the improving means of growing and processing coffee in Mindanao, which can be replicated in the region to address the shortage in supply of coffee despite its very large local and international demand. She gave tips to the coffee growers of Bulacan, Bataan, and Aurora who were also present in the meeting. She advised Central Luzon coffee growers to work on the directions of being environmentally compliant by introducing value additions in order to compete in the global market. Players should look into building capacities in these areas, promoting the region’s class in value additions, and noting the origins and value of processing methods. She added that she will visit the coffee farms in the region to assess the possibility of sourcing coffee from Central Luzon. Juan noted nevertheless that growers have to comply with quality standards in the production and processing of coffee.

DTI Aurora Provincial Director Edna Dizon discussed the plans of the regional coffee industry cluster including coordination with other agencies supporting the industry such as the Department of Agriculture (DA), Department of Science and Technology (DOST), and local government units (LGUs) in the region. She also conveyed that contingents from the cluster will visit Bukidnon to benchmark with key coffee industry players in the area.

The group also plan to embark on technology upgrade with the help of the DOST especially in improving the harvesting process. She also cited the need to enhance market promotion of coffee products in trade fairs and improve the packing and labeling of the product to conform to international standards.

Source: www.dti.gov.ph