Caraga coffee enterprises join the PH Coffee Expo 2023
Two coffee enterprises supported by the Department of Agriculture – Philippine Rural Development Project (DA-PRDP) Caraga’s Enterprise Component showcased the best of their beans and brew as they exhibited their products at the Philippine Coffee Expo 2023, held at the World Trade Center in Pasay City, Manila from June 2 to 4, 2023.
The San Nicolas Development Cooperative (SANIDECO) from Sitio San Nicolas, Tagbina, Surigao del Sur and the Casiklan Wheels Farmers Association Inc. (CAWFAI) from Barangay Casiklan, Las Nieves, Agusan del Norte, both participated in the 18 PRDP-assisted coffee enterprises from Luzon and Mindanao at the expo.
In its 2nd year, the expo
gathered industry experts, coffee farmers and cooperatives, coffee enthusiasts,
and luminaries of Philippine coffee to celebrate and explore the vibrant coffee
scene in the country.
It also provided an
opportunity for proponent groups to showcase, promote, and expand their markets
by creating linkages with potential local and international buyers at the event
and engaging in knowledge exchange through the expo’s Roasters and Producers
Forum.
“Participation in the
coffee expo opened up new opportunities for our coffee farmers and
organizations in Caraga,” underlined by Carmela V. Makinano, enterprise
development and marketing specialist for DA-PRDP Caraga.
“They were able to meet
local and international buyers. They also realized that there is a big market
for green coffee beans (GCB) and the demand mostly comes from coffee
consolidators and coffee shops,” she added..
With the theme
‘Celebrating Philippine Coffee: Brewing the Future’, the expo featured
technical discussions on the latest trends and technologies in the coffee
industry, trade fairs and exhibits, and the annual Philippine Coffee Quality
Competition.
Looking forward, the
Department of Agriculture Caraga hopes to further provide support for coffee
farmers through the introduction of new technologies.
“In the Caraga region, we
hope to have a Cupping Laboratory so that our coffee farmers will be able to
know the quality of their beans and identify its coffee notes, which include
honey, jackfruit, banana, and berries, among others. We also hope to conduct
continuous re-orientation on the proper production and harvesting of coffee
beans to maintain its quality,” Makinano said.
SANIDECO and CAWFAI are
both producers of robusta coffee and beneficiaries under DA-PRDP’s enterprise
component. (Nichole L. Talatala, DA Caraga/PIA Caraga)