ILOILO CITY — The Department of Trade and Industry 6 (Western Visayas) gathered some 50 coffee industry stakeholders from Iloilo, Antique, Capiz and Negros Occidental for a two-day regional roadmap localization and strategic planning workshop that culminated Tuesday afternoon.
The two-day workshop sought to offer solutions to commonly encountered challenges confronting stakeholders, such as how to raise farm productivity and learning how to tap the growing local and international demand for quality coffee. The event drew not only coffee farmers but also processors and buyers.
DTI Director for Iloilo Diosdado Cadena expressed confidence that coffee farms in the region have “big potential not only in the domestic market, but even in the international market.” It was revealed that coffee farms are currently under development in the municipalities of Barotac Nuevo, Barotac Viejo, Janiuay, Leon, Lambunao, and Calinog.
Cadena, also the regional coffee coordinator, said Philippine coffee farm produce have an average annual yield of 400 kg. per hectare but the ideal output is one ton or 1,000 kg. per hectare. This is one issue that has to be addressed, he said.
He cited that in addition to DTI, the regional agriculture and agrarian reform offices and the Philippine Coconut Authority 6, have also launched their own initiatives to help develop the coffee industry in Western Visayas.
“The challenge is to develop the local brand of coffee for Filipinos and for the international market,” said Cadena. (John Michael Ramos, Isaiah Junio, OJTs/PNA)
