CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY - The Department of Agriculture (DA) 10 (Northern Mindanao) sees the cultivation and production of coffee and cacao as an emerging contributor to boosting the region's agriculture sector.

During the Network Briefing News on Friday, DA-10 Director Carlene Collado said after some farmers groups received support and recognition, they can expand supply in the country and to international markets.

"Hopefully, with our assistance, they will be known internationally, and supply for export their products. This would also mean larger income for them," Collado said, referring to the PHP8 million worth of assistance to farmers through the Cacao Community-Based Development Enterprise project.

One of the beneficiaries was the Toburan-Mapulog-Maputi Arc Marketing Cooperative, covering 67 hectares in Naawan, Misamis Oriental.

Some members are already growing cacao and producing tablea (pure chocolate usually in tablet shape) and selling them to agri-development centers.

As for the coffee industry, Collado cited recent achievements of Mindanao farmers' groups that garnered awards in the 2022 Philippine Coffee Quality Competition (PCQC) held in Davao City on March 18.

The PCQC is an annual green coffee competition that recognizes outstanding Filipino coffee farmers and where growers are encouraged to improve the quality of their products to boost their competitiveness in the domestic and global markets.

To date, the DA - Philippine Rural Development Project has seven coffee subprojects in its Mindanao portfolio: two in Northern Mindanao with the Coffee Processing and Marketing Enterprise in Maramag and Arabica Coffee Processing, Consolidation and Marketing enterprise in Bukidnon; two in Soccsksargen with the Enhancement of Production and Marketing of Dried Green Coffee Beans in Tupi South Cotabato and the Production and Marketing of Green Coffee Beans in Sultan Kudarat; Caraga region's Integrated Green Coffee Beans in Surigao del Sur; and Davao region's Coffee Processing and Marketing Enterprise in Davao del Norte and Green Coffee Beans Processing and Marketing Enterprise in Davao del Sur. (PNA)