The Philippine Revival for Coffee Production

Do you like this post?

Coffee has been a staple drink for many countries and culture for as long as I can remember. The first recording of coffee was on the 11th century when the Ethiopian highlanders cultivated the native beans. Since the beverage is so good, it was only a matter of time that people will determine the way to mass-produce it.

Coffee is the second most traded commodity next to petroleum. Is it so surprising that one of the better things on life can be almost as popular as fuel that powers mass transportation? Of course not; that is not surprising at all.

Unfortunately, coffee only grows within the coffee belt. This belt is around the equator and in between the tropics of Cancer and Capricorn. One of these countries happens to be the Philippines.

The Philippines is in South East Asia, near the equator with weather so perfect for coffee that it produces the four commercially viable varieties of coffee. The Philippines can easily grow Arabica, Liberica (the famous Kape Barako), Robusta and Excelsa.

In the early days, exactly 400 years ago, the Philippines were the fourth largest producer of coffee. The main attraction for foreigners is the world famous Kape Barako. Barako is a strong type of coffee that is the highest quality in the Liberica species. It is so good that an Arabica-Barako mix is considered to be gourmet coffee.

Problem struck the Philippine coffee industry after 1889 when they suffered infestations in their plantation. The pestilence almost destroyed every coffee tree in Batangas. By then, Brazil was dominating the coffee production business, with North America as the primary buyer in the market.

Today, the Philippines are responsible for only .012% of the world’s coffee supply. Although, efforts from private companies are trying to revive coffee production in the country, they have only managed to improve it from 23,000 metric tons to 30,000 metric tons in three years.

However, things seem to be looking up for Philippines coffee production industry, because of the increase in local demand for coffee. The big problem, though, is the plantation to road ratio and the backwater technology used to grow and harvest the coffee beans.

Popularity: 3% [?]

Currently 0 comment - But what do you think?