To cut imports, more coffee farms eyed

Philippine coffee industry leaders have been going around the country, gathering farmers and local leaders to urge them to help plant as many as 8 million seedlings this year and reduce the country’s import bill on coffee.

The Philippines imports as much as 45,000 metric tons of coffee beans a year—worth about P4 billion—since farmers cannot produce as much coffee as Filipinos can consume.

If all stakeholders work together, they can plant 4 million seedlings of the Arabica variety alone this year, according to Pacita Juan of Philippine Coffee Board (PCB).

A total of 8 million seedlings of different varieties, if planted, would help ease coffee imports in the coming years, Juan said in a phone interview.

PCB recently kicked off its annual “Pick Red” campaign by holding coffee farming seminars in Sulu and Benguet.

Davao is next on the road show.

In Benguet province alone, PCB aims to have 1 million Arabica seedlings planted with help from agrarian reform beneficiaries.

Last week, Juan said, leaders of the PCB, Benguet State University (BSU), and the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) agreed to promote coffee farming in Benguet.

DAR pledged land owned by agrarian reform beneficiaries, while BSU would distribute seedlings from PCB.

In Sulu, with the help of Tausug princess Princess Kumalah “Lala” Sugelardo, PCB conducted “Pick Red” lectures from January 7 to 10 for local cooperatives.

Participants from six barangays (villages)in four municipalities attended, as did officials from the Department of Agriculture (DA) and Gawad Kalinga (GK).

GK is helping PCB consolidate land holdings for coffee farming.

Arabica production stands at a dismal 600 tons per year while demand reaches as much as 2,000 metric tons a year for this variety.

According to industry group, the DA has to devolve responsibility for advocating coffee farming to its regional offices.

In line with decentralization, the coffee program budget of P150 million for 2012 has been distributed to the regions.

The PCB now has to coordinate with several offices instead of having a centralized contact at the DA headquarters.

“We will just have to go from region to region to promote coffee farming,” Juan said.