PROCESSING giant Nestle Philippines, Inc. has expressed intention to put up a coffee buying station in Sultan Kudarat province to bring the market closer to farmers, an official said.
Nelly Nita Dillera, Department of Trade and Industry-Sultan Kudarat provincial director, said Nestle officials voiced out the plan following the recently concluded 1st Region 12 Coffee Congress hosted by the province.
“More than just access to market, the presence of the buying station would redound to more significant impacts such as proper technology, from planting to harvesting as farmers, would be aware of the coffee quality profile and thereby aim to achieve the highest yield and grade for their coffee,” she said.
Sultan Kudarat hosted the regional coffee congress recently to showcase the area’s potentials as well as to improve local coffee production pegged at 400 kilograms per hectare.
This is way down the coffee production in Cavite of 1,000 kg or one metric ton per hectare.
Sultan Kudarat posted the largest coffee production area in the country with 19,064 hectares in 2010 and 17,914 has in 2009. The province’s production volume was recorded at 22,789 MT last year and 22,410 MT in 2009.
DA regional office’s data showed that at least 13,401 hectares of land are suitable for coffee expansion in Sultan Kudarat province. The area’s coffee production is centered in Senator Ninoy Aquino town.
Dillera urged farmers in the province to plant coffee, noting that the market “is not a problem” with the corporate giant Nestle and many coffee shop buyers. [PNA]
