Coffee industry roadmap to push intercropping with coconuts, lower financing rates

The Philippine coffee industry roadmap is in the works and aims for self-sufficiency in the high value crop for starters, Agriculture secretary Proceso Alcala said Wednesday 

 

“It would be good if we can export but for now, our priority is self-sufficiency,” Alcala said.

 

The country imports most of its coffee from Vietnam and Indonesia at 75,000 metric tons (MT) to 100,000 MT. Domestic production capacity is at  25,000 MT yearly.

 

To reach the self-suffiency goal, Agriculture chief said intercropping of coffee shrubs with coconut trees will be among the methods to be promoted among coffee farmers.

 

“Coffee grows well under coconut trees. If we pursue this, coconut farmers will have additional income. Intercropping is also the fastest way to increase production,” he said.

 

Among the other elements of the industry roadmap are:

 

 

Alcala said in a forum with local coffee growers that he will see to bring down monthly interest rates to  1%-1.5% and work toward the distribution of technical kits to indigenous peoples that are engaged in coffee farming.

 

The Philippine Coffee Alliance said in a news release about the first general assembly that “a large part of the available land area for planting is collectively owned by indigenous peoples (IPs): Kankanaey of North Luzon, Mangyan of South Luzon, and Manobo of Mindanao.”

 

Philippine Coffee Alliance said it is a “network-organization, representing a mix of startup and existing coffee farmer organizations, people’s organizations, women’s groups and several civil society organizations.”

 

They seek to “advance proactive participation of the marginalized coffee farmers for an inclusive development, growth, and sustainability of the Philippine coffee industry.”

 

“Mas masarap mag-kape, kaysa ikaw ang pinag-kakapehan,” Alcala said in his remarks.

 

During the assembly, Director Jenny Remoquillo of High Value Crops Development Program (HVCDP) of the Department of Agriculture  presented the Philippine Coffee Road Map for comments.

 

“Heard were small voices from coffee growing communities to have them included as target areas for planting new seedlings and other support services,” the PCA said.

 

According to the Philippine Coffee Board, another non-government entity, it sees local demand for coffee rising by five percent per year because of the growing popularity of instant coffee. — ELR, GMA News