Gov’t pushes for coffee crop expansion in view of burgeoning China market
September 9, 2012
Local coffee growers and exporters were told to take a serious look at China’s increasing coffee consumption — projected to be a $50-billion industry by 2020.
“While before, its people only drink four cups of coffee a year, China now consumes US$11.1 billion worth of the beans, nine cups of which are imported,” the Beijing office of the Philippine Trade and Investment Center said in a report.
It was quoting a recent speech delivered by Du He, the secretary general and market development director of the China National Food Industry Association during the 3rd China-Asean Industry Cooperation Conference held in Kunning, Yunnan Province.
The Chinese food industry leader said China is seen to be consuming a cup of coffee a day by 2020, worth $50 billion in total.
The Center said the ASEAN coffee industry will be the highlight of the incoming 9th CAEXPO in Nanning, China from September 21 to 26.
“There will be buyers, traders and importers from China and other countries during the trade fair,” PTIC’s Christine Rodriguez dela Cruz said, urging interested coffee growers and exporters to contact the Center for International Trade Expositions and Missions.
The government has been actively pushing for the expansion of coffee plantations in the provinces due to growing local and global demand for the product.
The National Agribusiness Corporation, tasked by the Department of Agriculture to lead the expansion, has recently tied up with a farmers’ cooperative in putting up a coffee nursery and plantation at Lake Sebu in South Cotabato.
The Philippines is presently a small player in the global coffee market, contributing a measly less than one percent of global supply.
However, the Philippines also grows four main varieties of coffee: the common arabica (grown in the Cordillera Administrative Region) and robusta, as well as the lesser-known excelsa and liberica, the latter more popularly known as kapeng barako. — BM, GMA News