House measure seeks to reduce PHL dependence on imported coffee

A BILL seeking to boost the Philippine coffee industry and curb reliance on imports was filed at the House of Representatives last month.

House Bill No. 6404 seeks to improve coffee farm productivity through modern, sustainable practices and support for smallholder farmers.

“(The) widening gap between limited local production and growing domestic demand underscores the urgency of strengthening support for farmers and building resilience across the coffee value chain,” Ang Probinsyano Party-list Rep. Alfred C. Delos Santos said in the explanatory note of the bill, which was filed on Nov. 26.

Philippine coffee production is insufficient to meet market demand. According to the US Department of Agriculture, the Philippines produced 27,000 metric tons (MT) of coffee in marketing year 2023-2024, against domestic consumption of 371,400 MT.

Consumption is projected to continue rising to 405,000 MT, putting the country on track to overtake Japan this year as the biggest coffee consumer in Asia.

The proposed measure seeks to strengthen the coffee industry through the creation of the National Coffee Board, tasked with overseeing the development and promotion of the sector.

The board will be chaired by the Secretary of Agriculture, with the Secretary of Trade and Industry as vice-chairperson, and will include representatives from local governments, academia, coffee growers, traders and processors.

The bill also seeks to establish a national program for the coffee industry to guide the development of production, processing, marketing, research, and trade.

The program will include research and development on climate-resilient practices, farmer training, financial and market support, infrastructure development, and branding strategy.

The bill is seeking an initial budget of P50 million from the Special Activities Fund of the President or other sources. Subsequent funding will be included in the Department of Agriculture’s allocations under the annual General Appropriations Act. — Vonn Andrei E. Villamiel