#MINDANAO
John Tria
If there is one thing that coffee aficionados are raking more notice of is Mindanao coffee variety gaining more attention.
This year's Philippine coffee competition saw many local farmers from Bukidnon and Davao getting high marks in the arabica competition, with the winner of the robusta competition from Ilocos Sur. Kudos to all for the hard work and dedication paying off.
Coffee farming requires skill, but the returns of this crop are good, especially if the harvest is graded. The price of arabica green beans (the ones you have yet to roast) can fetch between ₱200-₱500, or even more per kilo. Kudos to the Department of Agriculture for the extension support, and the Department of Trade and Industry for putting together the coffee industry roadmap that serves as a guide for developing the industry further.
Coffee is a perennial crop, a tree to be exact, which can bear fruit for about 50 years, like coconuts. The coffee fruit, called the cherry, is peeled (depulped) to reveal the bean, which is then roasted and ground to become the coffee you brew. Cultivating perennial crops like coffee, cacao and coconuts bear two advantages.
Here is a deeper look at why the rise of Mindanao’s coffee is good for all of us.
We are a net importer of coffee, producing around 70,000 metric tons (3/4 of which are produced in Mindanao) while importing more than 200,000 metric tons per year (https://mb.com.ph/2021/10/05/revised-philippine-coffee-roadmap-hopes-to-revitalize-local-coffee-industry/). This means that meeting local demand can sustain the industry and the jobs which cover the planting, cultivating and processing of this heavenly crop and beverage can boost rural enterprise and incomes for many, turning former conflict zones into abundant communities.
Secondly, the perennial crops conserve soil, unlike other crops like rice which requires replanting and soil turning (araro) of wet paddies which results in high levels of surface runoff and soil nutrient loss after every harvest. Soil conservation is therefore a concern in paddies, while not as big an issue for perennial crops like cacao and coffee, which can be grown in hilly areas and watersheds, help conserve soil and water.
Having proven its viability as a crop, improved logistics allow more consolidation, which in turn, encourages increased coffee production. In many of the coffee growing areas I have driven through like Bukidnon, the better roads can make this happen. The next step includes measures to encourage cheaper transport of these and other goods so that they can access markets. It is time for us to support these local coffee producers by buying locally grown coffee.
1st Mindanao Business Summit
See you on March 31, 2022, from 1:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m., on Zoom for the first Mindanao Business Summit . This conference will bring together industry professionals from both the public and private sectors to discuss ways to further strengthen the agriculture, ICT, logistics, energy, and tourism sectors in Mindanao and the east ASEAN Growth area (EAGA). This event is brought to you by the European Chamber of Commerce in the Philippines along with other partners.
After the successful Davao Region Business Conference hosted by groups led by the Italian Chamber of Commerce in the Philippines last week, it is clear that international business interest in Mindanao is growing. Things are looking up in the new normal.
Continue to stay safe everyone!