Coffee shortage seen in '04, SMCIC warns

DOMESTIC supply for coffee may be short by up to 15,500 metric tons in 2004 if no drastic measures will be undertaken to rehabilitate the industry, Southern Mindanao Coffee Industry Council (SMCIC) vice chair Lucio Servañez warned on Tuesday.

According to Servañez, last year's supply deficit for coffee reached 14,000 metric tons due to massive conversion of coffee plantations into banana, pineapple and vegetable lands.

"There was about 60 percent reduction of coffee farmlands last year compared to three or four years ago dahil nalulugi na masyado ang mga farmers (because the farmers are losing too much)," Servañez shared.

Other reasons for the continuing decline may be attributed to the ongoing insurgency in some parts of Mindanao resulting to damaged coffee trees, droughts, and the sudden drop of the crop's buying price in the market.

Based on records furnished by the Council, total harvest of coffee in the country reached only 35,000 in 2001, while the demand stood at 50,500.

This further results to a 15,500 metric tons shortage of coffee supply during the period.

A year after, the deficit slightly reduced to only 14,000 MT, while this year's projected shortage is pegged at 14,500 MT.

There are at least 19,000 hectares of identified potential areas to be planted with coffee in the region, as indicated by Nestle Philippines in Tagum City.

Presently, however, areas planted with the crop are pegged at no more than 7,000 hectares by both small farmers and big-time coffee growers in the whole region.

SMCIC, however, has committed to plant a total of 10,000 coffee seedlings covering 50 hectares for the first year of its project.

The figures are to double every year up to five years, and are expected to reach 1,000,000 seedlings covering 250 hectares in 2006.

The Department of Agriculture (DA) in the region through its regional technical director Romulo Palcon vowed to extend support to the coffee farmers by providing technology transfer, and conducting seminars and trainings to coffee growers to increase their productivity. CEU

(October 17, 2003 issue)

http://www.sunstar.com.ph/static/dav/2003/10/17/
bus/coffee.shortage.seen.in.04.smcic.warns.html