SEA Green coffee competition. (Sultan Kudarat province)
DAVAO CITY – The International Coffee Innovation Summit kicked off in Tacurong City in Sultan Kudarat province on Sunday, Oct. 5, with participants coming from at least 10 countries.
Among the events in the four-day summit are the Southeast Asia Green Coffee Competition, Coffee Innovation Forum, and Philippine Roasting Competition.
Sultan Kudarat Gove. Datu Pax Ali Mangudadatu said the event is in line with the province’s vision that Sultan Kudarat is open not only to the country but also to the world.
Mangudadatu added that the province is proud to host the International Coffee Innovation Summit as this will help boost the coffee industry in his home province.
“Each brings their own story. Their own bean. Their own pride. But only one will stand out as the new symbol of innovation,” he added.
Filipino Coffee Institute President Ramon Jerry Cabalse said that the summit unites the essence of passion, skill, and innovation from the coffee industry.
This summit, he added, is not just an event but also a celebration of the journey of coffee that plays a pivotal role in the coffee industry here in the Philippines.
“In the SEA Green competition, the finest arabica, robusta, excelsa, and liberica coffees from the ASEAN are brought to the spotlight right here in the Philippines, in the heart of Philipine coffee here in Sultan Kudarat,” Cabalse said.
Through this competition, the coffee will have an opportunity to be showcased in the global market, he said.
In the Arabica category, coffees are mostly produced by Cherry Gil Cabanday, Janet Escalera, Josephine Libres, Salome Milagrosa, Marcia Elumirag, Jenny Morales, Jhon Lawrence de la Cerna, and Lowell Padrones, all from Bansalan, Davao del Sur; Finca de Garces of Bukidnon, and Cyril Jerome Almanzor of Lanao del Sur.
Sultan Kudarat farmers Roan Basco, Idelberto Deramos, Reyjohn Basco, Denz Bert Deramos, Orlando Bayudan, Junerd Ambay, and Elmor Jay Seguma will represent the Robusta category. They will be joined by Ricky Sagayno from Lupon, Davao Oriental; Catherine Joy Alipit from La Trinidad, Benguet; and Elizar Lucariza from Maragusan, Davao de Oro.
The International Coffee Innovation Summit is one of the preliminary events of the upcoming Kalimudan Festival next month.