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With coffee demand rising in the Philippines, Bakun, Benguet is emerging as a key producer of premium Arabica. Farmers are ramping up production, solidifying the municipality’s reputation in the specialty coffee market. Known for its smooth, well-balanced flavor with fruity notes, Benguet Arabica remains a prized variety.
To strengthen Bakun’s growing coffee and cacao industry, Hedcor, a subsidiary of AboitizPower, distributed 5,000 Arabica wildlings and 500 cacao seedlings to local farmers.
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Driving coffee productivity in Bakun
Bakun’s elevated landscape, ranging from 1,200 to 2,500 meters, provides optimal conditions for growing Arabica coffee. With backing from partners like Hedcor, local farmers have a chance to expand their foothold in the competitive high-end coffee sector.
“With the fast-rising popularity of the coffee brand in the market, driven by its distinct quality and flavor, the supply remains limited; that is why we are encouraging our farmers, with the strong support of our partners, to scale up production,” shared Bakun Municipal Agriculturist Enrique Atelba.
He also expressed gratitude for Hedcor, saying, “Hedcor’s provision of Arabica coffee wildlings and cacao seedlings builds on the municipality’s agricultural strengths, allowing our community to reach its full potential as a producer of high-value crops, including coffee, cacao, and fruit-bearing crops.”
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An overview of Benguet’s coffee industry
According to Benguet State University professor and researcher Valentino Macanes, Arabica trees in Benguet are typically grown in home gardens for personal consumption rather than commercial production.
Benguet thrives as Metro Manila’s main source of salad vegetables like lettuce and cabbage, cultivated on terraced mountainsides. However, coffee farming in the Cordillera has yet to reach the same level of success. Macanes noted that many farmers see coffee trees as a secondary crop rather than a primary livelihood.
“It takes three years for a new coffee tree to mature and become harvestable. It only takes two to three months for farmers to harvest vegetables which are sold quickly,” he explained.
Though Arabica and the hardier Robusta grow well in high-altitude regions like Kalinga, limited farmland in the mountains restricts large-scale coffee production. Still, upland coffee plays a crucial role in the Philippine Coffee Roadmap, a strategy by the Department of Agriculture and the Department of Trade and Industry to strengthen the country’s global coffee standing.
The 2017-2022 Philippine Coffee Roadmap introduced strategies to boost production and improve market positioning after the country ranked 25th among global coffee producers in 2014, far behind industry leader Brazil, according to Food and Agriculture Organization data.
A survey by the Department of Agriculture (DA) found nearly 1.95 million coffee trees in the region, with over a million bearing fruit. The largest concentrations are in Kalinga (37%), Mountain Province (24%), and Benguet (20%). In 2023, Benguet led with 61% of the region’s green coffee bean production, followed by Kalinga and Ifugao Arabica made up 60% of the total, while Robusta contributed 38%, and Liberica and Excelsa each accounted for 1%.
Sustainable farming
Hedcor also distributed 500 seedlings each of atis, rambutan, lemon and lanzones, along with 250 sacks of chicken manure to enhance soil quality and promote sustainable farming in Bakun. This initiative aligns with Hedcor’s wider support for the community, which includes ₱1.3 million in financial aid for local development.
The funds also support reforestation and land management efforts to safeguard Bakun’s watersheds—essential for agriculture and clean water supply. Additionally, these watersheds fuel Hedcor’s renewable energy plants, providing a steady and eco-friendly power source for Bakun and nearby areas.
As Bakun farmers expand production to meet the growing demand for premium coffee, the municipality strengthens its position as a key producer. This progress reflects the impact of community partnerships, private sector support, and local government initiatives in fostering economic growth, food security, and environmental sustainability.
Sources:
https://amiananbalitangayon.com/hedcor-supports-bakun-to-meet-surging-demand-for-premium-arabica-coffee
https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/2013571/cordillera-brew-fuels-generations