DA, Nestlé ink deal to boost Philippines’ Robusta output

MANILA, Philippines  -The Department of Agriculture (DA) and Nestlé Philippines signed an accord to scale up local production of Robusta coffee, the variety used in instant coffee.

In a statement on Friday, Nestlé Philippines said the agreement involved the implementation of the Mindanao Robusta Coffee Project, which aims to scale up Robusta coffee output to 1,000 kilograms/hectare by 2027.

The partnership covers five components: research, fertilizer support, upskilling of farmers, establishment of coffee centers and logistics and marketing.

According to the DA, the majority of Mindanao Robusta coffee farmers who are engaged in monocropping, intercropping in coconut groves, and other diversified farming practices beneficial to coffee production will benefit from the project.

Nestlé Philippines and the University of Southern Mindanao will conduct a productivity assessment in several Robusta farms in Mindanao, according to Nestlé Philippines.

It also calls for the creation of an integrated coffee center in Sultan Kudarat, a shared facility for the development and distribution of good quality varieties of coffee plantlets, as well as a demo or training site, post-harvest facility and buying station.

“Nestlé is also reaffirming its commitment to be a ready market for locally grown Robusta green coffee beans, which is the sole ingredient to manufacture NESCAFÉ, its leading soluble coffee brand,” the company said.

Nestlé said improving farmers productivity, profitability, and sustainability is something they share with the DA as well as “go beyond sustainability.”

Nestlé’s buying stations are currently open in Valencia, Bukidnon and Tacurong, Sultan Kudarat for suppliers to deliver their coffee.

“The Mindanao Robusta Coffee Project is a public-private partnership that aims to create a more robust and globally competitive coffee industry through programs that will increase farmers’ volume production and improve the quality of their green coffee beans,” said Agriculture Senior Undersecretary Domingo Panganiban.

“As one of the country’s top five high-value crops, coffee sits high on the national economic agenda and is one of the DA’s urgent priorities for development and support,” added Panganiban.

“I thank everybody [involved], most especially Nestlé, for embarking on a program that we all know is very important to Filipino farmers and the country. All of us will work together as one and I hope that this will be the start of a long activity that we shall be undertaking as far as the coffee industry is concerned,” he said.

The memorandum of understanding was signed on Wednesday by Panganiban and Nestlé Philippines Inc. chairman and CEO Kais Marzouki.

“The DA and Nestlé hope that through the project, the coffee farmers will be able to further increase their yields, improve the quality of their produce, and earn higher incomes,” the DA said.

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