Coffee board eyes Southwestern Mindanao as production hub for 'Barako' coffee

From: balita-dot-ph
September 10, 2009 9:36 am

GENERAL SANTOS CITY, Sept. 10 – The Philippine Coffee Board (PCB) is reportedly planning to develop at least 1,000 hectares of new coffee plantations for Liberica or Barako coffee variety in Southwestern Mindanao.

It as part of PCB's efforts to help build up the region as a major producer of prime coffee products.

Nelly Nita Dillera, business development division chief of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Region 12, said Thursday that PCB officials have earlier started negotiations with coffee farmers here for a production partnership for Liberica coffee and other premium coffee varieties.

“They initially offered to provide the Liberica coffee seedlings and subsidies for various production inputs,” she told the Philippines News Agency.

Dillera said a land owner from Senator Ninoy Aquino town in Sultan Kudarat already offered to meet the required 1,000 hectares for the proposed plantation for Liberica coffee, which is presently grown mainly in Luzon.

“The 1,000 hectares is just the initial quota and PCB is open to more expansion once the project eventually progresses,” Dillera said.

The PCB, which has been leading the development and promotion of the country’s coffee industry, earlier received a grant of P50 million from DA for the rehabilitation of coffee farms in the country.

Such initiative, which is targeting to build up an annual coffee yield of some 35,000 metric tons, is part of the government’s efforts to make the country self-sufficient in coffee production by 2015.

Aside from the Liberica coffee production arrangement, Dillera said the PCB is also planning to tap coffee producers in the region to augment its supply requirements.

The PCB, which is composed of coffee industry players, currently produces the Kape Isla brand under its cooperative marketing program.

Dillera said the DTI will be hosting business-matching sessions between the PCB and local coffee producers next week during the preliminary sessions of the 18th Mindanao Business Conference that would be held in Koronadal City.

“PCB is actually offering our coffee producers a complete package. It wants to get involved with our coffee industry from production to the marketing phase,” she said.

Region 12 is currently the top producer of coffee in Mindanao with 19,700 hectares of coffee plantations yielding an average 6,770 metric tons a year.

The region covers the provinces of South Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat, Sarangani, North Cotabato and the cities of Koronadal, General Santos, Kidapawan, Tacurong and Cotabato.

According to the DTI’s records, Region 12 currently has more than 440 coffee growers, two processors and two established coffee nurseries that are mostly located in Sultan Kudarat province. (PNA) LAP/jca/AVE