LA TRINIDAD, Benguet – The Department of Agriculture-Cordillera (DA-CAR) joined the celebration of the 8th La Trinidad Coffee Festival on February 10, 2025, at the La Trinidad Municipal Park as a partner of the municipality in the promotion and development of its agricultural sector.
With this year’s theme “Brewing Unity Through Coffee,” the celebration features various coffee products like coffee grounds, beverages, and coffee-based processed food.
Agriculturist Remedios Lawingan, on behalf of DA-CAR Regional Executive Director Atty. Jennilyn M. Dawayan, highlighted that Benguet is the leading coffee producer in the region, accounting for 61% of CAR’s total production. She also pointed out Benguet is the only province in the region with Good Agricultural Practices (GAP)–certified coffee farms, with six out of the 17 certified farms.
She also noted that in 2023, the Cordillera contributed 3.4% to the country’s total production volume. As per coffee variety, arabica coffee is the most produced, with 60% of the region’s total output, followed by Robusta at 30%, and Liberica and Excelsa at 1%.
Further, Lawingan also mentioned that 9,505 coffee farmers are registered under the Registry System for Basic Sectors in Agriculture or RSBSA, of which 3,487 are from Benguet, which accounts for 618.517 hectares of the region’s total coffee production area of 4,236.957.
Moreover, various agricultural interventions were awarded to the municipality of La Trinidad since 2010 that was coursed through the La Trinidad Arabica Coffee Producers Association. These interventions include planting materials, seedlings, processing equipment such as coffee pulpers, coffee huller, hermetic bags, pole pruner, coffee drier, mini chainsaw, plastic crates, and coffee processing facilities. Additionally, training programs on coffee production have been provided under the High Value Crops Development Program.
To close, Lawingan urged everyone, especially the youth, to explore opportunities in coffee production, emphasizing its growing significance in the industry.
The activity will run until February 16, 2025. By Cy-j E. Waytan
