DA allots P84.15M for coffee program

Coffee is one of the most traded agricultural commodities in the world and a major contributor to the Philippine economy. Thus, the government wants to prioritize the development of the coffee industry.

The Department of Agriculture has set aside P84.15 million to fund projects that aim to increase and improve the production of Philippine coffee.

The budget, which will be channeled through the DA's High Value Crops Development Program, will help to improve the long-term productivity, product quality and profitability of Filipino coffee growers.

A part of the fund will go to the rehabilitation of 486,450 old trees amounting to P30.37 million, while P10.56 million is allotted for the acquisition of planting materials to be distributed to local growers.

Likewise, P7.79 million will be used to maintain production facilities in DA stations, and P5.84 million for research and development.

The coffee fund will also be used for capability enhancement and training of stakeholders, construction of storage facilities, roasting centers and other production equipment, as well as various farm inputs.

Production down

Presently, the country is only 15 percent self-sufficient in coffee. The bulk of production comes from Mindanao, which accounts for 83.63 percent of the total share, while Luzon contributes 9.18 percent, and Visayas, 7.2 percent.

However, production has been on a downtrend. In 2015, yield was posted at 36,171 metric tons green coffee beans, which declined further to 30,320.47 MT GCB in 2020.
In 2021, production further dipped to 30303.59 MT GCB.

Road map in place

Last June, the Department launched the Coffee Industry Road Map 2021-2025, along with other commodity road maps, as guide to the improvement of the different Philippine agriculture sectors.

Through this detailed plan, key players and government agencies will be guided on the progress of the industry. It aims to increase yields, incomes, and improve farm productivity.

The road map was designed to enhance farmers' technical capability and skills and create avenues to attain food security and alleviate poverty.

Through the 5-year strategy, DA will intensify the promotion of local coffee products in the short term. For the medium term, it will forge partnerships with the private sector, while linking local growers with high-end local coffee shops.

Meanwhile, in the long-term, an online database of information such as current price, production volumes, and yield, among others will be created to streamline information to stakeholders.