Coffee growing here gains momentum as government agencies, local government units and industry players gather at the Capitol auditorium for the first Ilocos Norte Provincial Coffee Forum on Wednesday to explore and boost opportunities to revitalize the coffee industry in Luzon.

The Ilocos Norte provincial government, in partnership with the Department of Trade and Industry, developed a coffee industry roadmap after Ilocos Sur’s success in the 2026 Robusta awards.

The plan aims to energize the coffee value chain—production, processing and marketing — by empowering farmers, supporting local enterprises, and fostering innovation and sustainability.

During the forum, Juliet Pascual, a resource person on the coffee value chain, underscored the importance of crafting a local industry roadmap that aligns with the national coffee roadmap to globalize local coffee.

With an estimated annual production of 72,400 kg of Arabica, Robusta, Excelsa, and Liberica coffee, grown mostly by the Piddig Coffee Growers Association in Piddig town and the Saguigui Tribal Council Inc. in Pagudpud, the province of Ilocos Norte has begun brewing its homegrown “Kapeng Ilokano” brand to boost the livelihood of local farmers.

Both Ilocos Norte Governor Cecilia Araneta-Marcos and Vice Governor Matthew Joseph Manotoc, who attended the forum, committed to supporting programs to boost coffee production.

“We have seen that this is doable, and we congratulate Ilocos Sur. Of course, we also want to mimic, someday match, or hopefully beat Ilocos Sur because there’s a friendly rivalry with them,” Manotoc said.

Araneta-Marcos also recognized the huge market potential of coffee to uplift the lives of Ilokano families, hence the need “to identify practical strategies to grow the industry sector and make them more competitive.”

On the part of the DTI, provincial director Amelia Galvez said the future of coffee lies in stronger collaboration and partnership among all sectors.

She assured that the DTI has lined up various interventions to improve the quality of local coffee products and help them join the league of the world’s most competitive coffee brands.

However, the DTI identified several challenges that continue to hinder its growth. These include limited access to quality planting materials, gaps in technical knowledge for production and processing, concerns about product quality and consistency, and the need for stronger market linkages and industry collaboration. (PNA)