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DavSur coffee farmers earn P1.5-M in int'l online auction

By Christine Cudis

May 18, 2022, 6:54 pm

<p>Department of Trade and Industry in Davao del Sur Provincial Office officer-in-charge Maria Victoria Placer. <em>(Photo courtesy of DTI-Davao del Sur)</em></p>

Department of Trade and Industry in Davao del Sur Provincial Office officer-in-charge Maria Victoria Placer. (Photo courtesy of DTI-Davao del Sur)

DAVAO CITY – The Department of Trade and Industry in Davao del Sur Province (DTI-Davao del Sur) has acknowledged the participation of coffee farmers from the province in the recently-concluded Micro-Lot Auction, a global online event.

“The outstanding results of the recently concluded Philippine Coffee Quality Competition (PCQC) auction is a testament of how our local specialty Arabica coffee is already being recognized by the national and international market," Maria Victoria Placer, the DTI-Davao del Sur acting director, said Wednesday.

“We continue to support and encourage our farmers to commit to producing quality coffee, be open to new technologies and continue to champion sustainable agricultural practices,” Placer said.

Nine coffee farmers in the province, who are part of the PCQC 2022 Best Specialty Arabica Coffee Team, participated in the May 7 online auction.

The auction was opened to all coffee enthusiasts worldwide with participants from the United States, United Kingdom, Australia, Japan, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, South Korea, Hong Kong, and China, among others.  

The bid closed with the Davao del Sur PCQC winners amassing US$31,893 or approximately PHP1.5 million.

DTI Davao del Sur the figure exceeded the group's earnings in 2021, which was only US$21,665 or approximately PHP1 million.

The highest bid was given to the micro-lot (114 kilograms) of Marifel Dela Cerna, winner of PCQC 2022 – Best Specialty Arabica Coffee, with a closing price of US$75 per kilogram or a total value of US$8,550 or almost PHP500,000.

This was significantly higher than last year’s bid for the micro-lot of Marites Arellano, 2021 winner of Best Specialty Arabica Coffee, at a closing price of US$52.50 per kilogram.

The winning bidder for Dela Cerna’s micro-lot was the US-based Teofilo Coffee Company.

DTI-Davao Region spokesperson Jenny Mendoza said the auction is part of the annual PCQC tradition where the winning entries and lots under the Arabica and Robusta categories are opened for bidding to interested buyers inside and outside the Philippines.

Meanwhile, Placer assured they will be consistent in assisting the farmers such as product development, marketing, and promotion.

“We commit to continuously assist them in whatever way we can,” she said.

Placer added that the interventions provided for the group are capability-building seminars and training through the Industry Cluster Enhancement Program and Negosyo Center, and the product development and promotion through the OTOP (One Town, One Product) NextGen Program.

The participants also availed of free equipment from the Shared Service Facility Project, and market matching activities through the Rural Agro-Industrial Partnership for Inclusive Development and Growth (RAPID Growth) Project, among other interventions. (PNA)

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