With the success of Mindanao coffee farmers in the recent Philippine Coffee Expo (PCE) 2023, the Department of Agriculture in Davao Region (DA-11) said Tuesday a big opportunity has opened for the island region’s coffee farmers.

Mindanao’s coffee farmers successfully secured PHP8 million in negotiated sales during the June 2-4 coffee expo held at the World Trade Center Manila.

“Once the market is established, quality of supply will follow. So then it revolves, more production of quality beans will then solicit another round of demand,” Abel James Monteagudo, DA-11 director, said in an interview.

During the PCE activity, the DA–Philippine Rural Development Project (DA-PRDP) in Mindanao linked 11 coffee farmer-beneficiaries to various buyers.

Apart from market linkages, DA-PRDP supported the coffee farmers’ associations to improve the quality of their products through the provision of post-harvest facilities and equipment.

“Aside from international buyers, PCE 2023 also linked our farmers to institutional buyers which include Comfoods, a manufacturer and distributor of packaged roasted coffee under different brands such as Café Puro, Café Excelente, and Café Bueno,” Cherrilyn Baylon, PRDP enterprise development specialist, said in a statement.

Baylon added that the sales generated at the expo served as a testament to the dedication and hard work of both the coffee farmers and DA-PRDP.

“This achievement not only boosts the income and livelihoods of coffee farmers but also contributes to the overall growth and development of the coffee industry in Mindanao,” she said.

With PRDP’s continuous support and promising market tie-ups with groups such as Aj-Sewing LLC, Baylon said the future looks bright for Mindanao coffee farmers. (PNA)