PH coffee output up by 12.4% in the first quarter

According to the Philippine Statistics Authority’s (PSA) quarterly report, the country’s dried coffee berry output grew by 12.4% to 19,350.32 metric tons (MT) in the first quarter from 17,220.46 MT last year.

Robusta remained the most popular type of coffee as it accounted for the bulk of total output or 72.7%.

Robusta coffee production from January to March reached 14,067.2 MT, 18% higher than the 11,923.15 MT recorded a year ago.

Arabica coffee production, which accounted for almost 20% of total output, rose slightly to 3,793.64 MT from last year’s 3,764.64 MT.

Production of Excelsa and Liberica coffee varieties, however, declined on an annual basis in the first quarter. Excelsa coffee output fell by 2.7% to 1,392.78 MT while Liberica coffee production declined by 4.8% to 96.71 MT.

“SOCCSKSARGEN was the top coffee producer with 6,970 MT output or 36% share to the total production for this quarter. This was followed by Northern Mindanao and Davao Region with respective shares of 14.5% and 12.2%,” said the PSA.

Dried coffee berry production in SOCCSKSARGEN expanded by 26.8% to 6,974.88 MT from last year’s 5,499.51 MT.

Dried coffee berry production in Northern Mindanao went up by 30.5% to 2,800.59 MT from 2,146.24 MT while output in Davao Region declined by 1.6% to 2,353.18 MT from 2,391.17 MT.

Cacao production in the first quarter increased by 11.8% to 2,249.52 MT from 2,011.90 MT last year.

“Davao Region was still the major producer of cacao with 1,780 MT output or 79.2% share of the country’s total cacao production for this quarter.”

The PSA said the Davao region’s cacao output grew by 11.9% from 1,592.5 MT recorded in the first quarter of 2020.

SOURCE: Business Mirror