TABUK CITY, Kalinga – Government officials here called on coffee farmers to stop the conversion of their coffee plantations amidst the widespread clearing of ersthwhile coffee lands to give way to corn production.
City Administrator Laurence Bayongan singled out barangay Magnao which used to be one of the leading coffee producers in the city but has since lost the distinction due to the inroads of corn.
“By converting the coffee plantations, we are not only killing the coffee industry but we are aggravating climate change and inviting environmental disasters,” Bayongan said even as he urged farmers in the city to plant new coffee trees.
Grace Baluyan, director of the Department of Trade and Industry here, said that the conversion of coffee plantations to cash crops is clouding the prospects of the coffee processing industry in the province.
Baluyan said that there are seven established coffee processors in the province one of which is already exporting its products abroad.
“The future is not very bright for the coffee processing industry but it’s a challenge we must address. At the moment, the volume of production in the province could still supply the needs of the coffee processors but what we are anticipating is when the volume of orders will increase,” Baluyan said.
Baluyan said that farmers should resume planting and tending to their farms to support the coffee processing industry in the province adding that of special concern is the Arabica variety which is a component of the ground coffee being packed in the province.
“The processors are importing their Arabica beans from Ifugao and Mt. Province because there are no Arabica plantations in the province,” Baluyan said.
Domingo Bakilan who represented Govenor Jocel Baac during the launching of the coffee processing center of the Gawidan Farmers’ Association (GFA) in barangay Bagumbayan on May 25 that the time when the processors will buy their coffee from other provinces should be averted through the planting of more coffee trees.
Teodoro Delson, Department of Labor and Employment (DOST) assistant regional director, said during the same occasion that the coffee processing industry in the province would have a hard time competing with similar products from other provinces if there is lack of raw materials.
He said that to compete globally in quality and price, there is a need for cheaper inputs which could only happen if there is more coffee production in the locality.
Delson urged the GFA to live up to the promise in the box of their coffee products because if not, the whole coffee processing industry in the province will be prejudiced.
He said that producing processed coffee which quality will satisfy customers will build the reputation of coffee products of the province which could even be passed on to the next generation.
Tabuk City Agricultural Technologist Felicitas Balmores said that the coffee processing project is a joint undertaking of the DOLE, the office of Congressman Manuel Agyao, the GFA, the DTI, the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) , the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) and the Tabuk City LGU.
Balmores said that the DOLE funded the fabrication of the roaster and grinder worth P780,000.00, the office of Agyao provided P100,000.00 for the building which the GFA completed from its own funds, the DTI conducted trainings worth P30,000.00 in addition to assisting in the packaging, TESDA footed the labor and honorarium of the operator who trained the GFA members, the DOST funded the packaging at P40,000.00 and Tabuk City has committed P60,000.00 for accessories.
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City Administrator Laurence Bayongan singled out barangay Magnao which used to be one of the leading coffee producers in the city but has since lost the distinction due to the inroads of corn.
“By converting the coffee plantations, we are not only killing the coffee industry but we are aggravating climate change and inviting environmental disasters,” Bayongan said even as he urged farmers in the city to plant new coffee trees.
Grace Baluyan, director of the Department of Trade and Industry here, said that the conversion of coffee plantations to cash crops is clouding the prospects of the coffee processing industry in the province.
Baluyan said that there are seven established coffee processors in the province one of which is already exporting its products abroad.
“The future is not very bright for the coffee processing industry but it’s a challenge we must address. At the moment, the volume of production in the province could still supply the needs of the coffee processors but what we are anticipating is when the volume of orders will increase,” Baluyan said.
Baluyan said that farmers should resume planting and tending to their farms to support the coffee processing industry in the province adding that of special concern is the Arabica variety which is a component of the ground coffee being packed in the province.
“The processors are importing their Arabica beans from Ifugao and Mt. Province because there are no Arabica plantations in the province,” Baluyan said.
Domingo Bakilan who represented Govenor Jocel Baac during the launching of the coffee processing center of the Gawidan Farmers’ Association (GFA) in barangay Bagumbayan on May 25 that the time when the processors will buy their coffee from other provinces should be averted through the planting of more coffee trees.
Teodoro Delson, Department of Labor and Employment (DOST) assistant regional director, said during the same occasion that the coffee processing industry in the province would have a hard time competing with similar products from other provinces if there is lack of raw materials.
He said that to compete globally in quality and price, there is a need for cheaper inputs which could only happen if there is more coffee production in the locality.
Delson urged the GFA to live up to the promise in the box of their coffee products because if not, the whole coffee processing industry in the province will be prejudiced.
He said that producing processed coffee which quality will satisfy customers will build the reputation of coffee products of the province which could even be passed on to the next generation.
Tabuk City Agricultural Technologist Felicitas Balmores said that the coffee processing project is a joint undertaking of the DOLE, the office of Congressman Manuel Agyao, the GFA, the DTI, the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) , the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) and the Tabuk City LGU.
Balmores said that the DOLE funded the fabrication of the roaster and grinder worth P780,000.00, the office of Agyao provided P100,000.00 for the building which the GFA completed from its own funds, the DTI conducted trainings worth P30,000.00 in addition to assisting in the packaging, TESDA footed the labor and honorarium of the operator who trained the GFA members, the DOST funded the packaging at P40,000.00 and Tabuk City has committed P60,000.00 for accessories.
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