Tuesday, March 27, 2007 Mindanao still leads RP's coffee production By Carlo P. Mallo
MINDANAO continues to be the country's top producer of coffee comprising over 60 percent of the country's production.
Enriqueto Natividad, Department of Agriculture (DA) cluster officer for Mindanao, said contrary to beliefs that coffee is produced in Batangas or Bulacan, Sultan Kudarat is the biggest coffee producer.
In Southern Mindanao, Laak in Davao del Norte is the biggest coffee producer. It was also learned that one of the country's biggest coffee manufacturer has put up a research farm in Davao del Norte.
Moreover, Natividad revealed that DA is gearing for the self-sufficiency of the Philippine coffee industry by 2010. He added that the country continues to import over 50 percent of its coffee consumption.
One of the actions being undertaken by DA is to propagate coffee plants. DA has released over 400,00 planting materials in Mindanao as it expanded in over 1,200 hectares more.
Aside from being self sufficient, DA, hopes to establish Mindanao in dominating the coffee production in the country.
