AMADEO, Cavite — This town’s coffee industry is expected to receive a big boost after a private sector-led group vowed to provide local coffee farmers with training and machinery to cultivate 5,000 hectares of plantation per year.
The Philippine Coffee Board, Inc. (PCBI) is initially investing some PHP10 million for the establishment of its field office, and the bundled training and machinery, particularly a wet and a dry coffee grinding facility.
“Amadeo coffee is heirloom. Our direction is to propagate it to fine Robusta and focus on exporting their products,” PCBI chairperson Nicholas Matti said in an interview on the sidelines of the formal opening of its field office in this “Coffee Capital of the Philippines” on Wednesday.
Matti noted that although the board has its presence in the locality since 30 years ago, it observed a decline from its 24,000 hectares “coffee area” to just 8,000 hectares as of last year.
“Of this figure, some are still not fully cultivated, used, because the farmers have lost their interest due to low income,” he said.
“The PCBI field office shall be leveraged to bring back the farmers’ enthusiasm by helping them produce more, and let them sell at a better price,” he added.
Agnes Madlangsacay, manager of the Cafe Amadeo Development Cooperative, expressed her enthusiasm over the guaranteed boost of the coffee industry with PCBI presence.
PCBI aims to develop the Philippine coffee industry through provision of technical assistance and credit programs for coffee farms, and marketing and promotion of coffee for the domestic and export markets.
Its office will service coffee farmers and stakeholders in this town, including in the neighboring coffee-producing towns of Indang, Silang, Alfonso, Magallanes, Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo, Mendez-Nuñez, and the cities of Tagaytay and General Trias, as well as other South Luzon locations.
Meanwhile, the “Pahimis” Festival activities slated on February 22-24 in this upland town is meant to help promote Cavite coffee for domestic and worldwide consumption.
The festival also aims to revive farmers’ interest in coffee farming, enhance coffee yield, and attain a competitive coffee price in the world market.
