The Department of Agriculture (DA) is creating a dedicated office aimed at developing the domestic coffee industry in a bid to strengthen its competitiveness and reduce the country’s reliance on coffee imports.

Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. issued Department Order (DO) No. 6 earlier this month to establish the Coffee Industry Development Office (CIDO) within the DA.

“By creating CIDO under focused leadership, we are putting strategy, funding, and execution in one accountable office. This is about restoring competitiveness and making sure Filipino coffee farmers finally capture the value of a market that is already growing around them,” Tiu Laurel said in a statement.

“We cannot keep talking about the promise of Philippine coffee while farmers grow older, yields stagnate, and imports rise,” he added.

Under DO 6, CIDO will oversee the DA’s coffee programs and their respective funding, as well as policies previously implemented by various offices.

With coffee consumption on the upswing in the country, Tiu Laurel said creating a standalone office would help production keep pace with strong demand.

In a report in December last year, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) estimated that cafes would generate $1.74 billion in sales this year, up 11 percent from $1.63 billion in 2025.

USDA said the increase in sales is driven by rising consumer mobility and the popularity of specialty coffee and tea shops.

However, the foreign agency estimated that the Philippines’ coffee production is only enough to supply 450,000 60-kilogram (kg) bags, or around 27,000 metric tons (MT), for marketing year (MY) 2025-2026.

“Farmers are aging, access to inputs is limited, equipment is outdated, and infrastructure is patchy. The result is declining yields, uneven quality, and rising imports to satisfy local demand,” the DA said.

As such, the country is expected to import roughly 378,000 MT of coffee in the current MY, up 10 percent from 344,400 MT in the previous MY.

To help the local coffee industry keep up with strong demand, CIDO is expected to lead program planning efforts and ensure initiatives are aligned with the government’s agricultural priorities.

The office is also tasked with recommending reforms to fill gaps in policy or implementation, alongside coordinating with local governments, universities, private firms, and farmer groups.

By consolidating control under one office, the DA said it will speed up the delivery of programs aimed at maximizing the industry’s growth and competitiveness potential.

Last week, Tiu Laurel told reporters that CIDO will be complemented by two other dedicated offices—one focusing on high-value crops for domestic consumption and another specifically for exports.

He said the DA aims to operationalize the three offices within the month.