Bitter years ahead for Calabarzon coffee industry

MANILA, Philippines — The coffee industry, particularly in Calabarzon region, is facing bitter years ahead following the eruption of Taal Volcano, which is expected to linger and result in potential revenue losses of as much as P2 billion.

Thus, the Philippine Coffee Board Inc. no longer expects good harvest for coffee in Cavite and Batangas this year and even until 2021 as nearly 800 hectares were damaged due to ashfall and it would take awhile before trees start to bear fruits again.

PCBI board member Rene Tongson pegged losses this year at P600 million to as high as P1 billion and this would likely be the same case next year as no harvest season will take place. The losses represent about 40 percent of production in Calabarzon.

“There are no promising figures for 2021. There is no bright harvest. The loss in tonnage will be carried all over the tonnage for the Philippines,” Tongson said in a briefing yesterday.

Coffee, particularly the Liberica variety or widely known as Barako, and some Robusta, is among the major crops produced in Batangas and Cavite. The two provinces account for 15 percent of about 5,000 metric tons total national production.

The Philippines is one of only four countries that produce the Barako variety worldwide apart from Malaysia, Vietnam and Ethiopia.

PCBI board member Alejandro Mojica said the damage from Taal is mainly on the loss of Barako leaves which would take at least two years before those will bear fruits.

“The ashfall affects the leaves of coffee trees. And Barako has bigger leaves which means that they collected more ash [during the eruption]. The leaves are stressed,” he said.

“The Barako is under preservation for the last 15 years, it is in its critical point and we lost whatever it is that’s left,” Mojica added.

As to the remaining harvestable coffee in the areas, PCBI said one third of that would be reserved for reproduction while the rest will be for consumption.

Further, PCBI board member Guillermo Luz assured that there will not be much effect on the prices as coffee remains an importable product and the Philippines is heavily dependent on importation due to lack of production to meet growing demand.

“What we are more concerned is the loss of farmers’ income,” he said.

PCBI is already planning how to help farmers recover including the rejuvenation of trees and the establishment of nurseries in areas outside of Taal’s danger zone.

“The goal is not to provide short-term relief for farmers but to create a long-term rehabilitation plan that will push Batangas and Cavite back to the forefront of coffee production in the future,” Luz said.

Closely associated with the Philippines, Barako thrives in Cavite and Batangas where elevation should be from 250 to 800 meters above sea level with a type of soil plenty with organic matter and where climate should have a distinct dry and wet season.