BY BENJAMIN MOSES M. EBREO, PIA
BAYOMBONG, Nueva Vizcaya (August 11, 2024)— Three coffee producers in Nueva Vizcaya have maintained the quality of their yields and earned the Outstanding Coffee Green Grading Results with zero to minimum defects at this year’s Philippine Coffee Quality Competition (PCQC).
The PCQ-certified coffee producers are Bumolo’s Integrated Farm, owned by Juliet Bumolo; Bugkalot Coffee Growers Cooperative, represented by Solita Constantino; and Tiblac Farmers Agriculture Cooperative, represented by Mario Tayaban.
The competition is an annual event that aims to identify the best quality coffee produced in the country and promote Philippine Specialty Coffee to domestic and global markets, which can improve business opportunities for all Philippine coffee stakeholders.
The PCQC was held last month for the submission and grading of the entries, while the announcement of results was conducted on June 7–9, 2024, at One Ayala, Makati City.
The green grading revealed that the Arabica coffee of the Bugkalot Coffee Growers Cooperative was classified under the premium grade with minimum secondary defects.
Meanwhile, the Arabica coffee from Bumolo’s Integrated Farm was graded as a specialty, which is the highest grade for the said category, with zero defects.
The Robusta entries of Bumolo’s Integrated Farm and Tiblac Farmers Agriculture Cooperative also got recognized as having zero defects.
Lawyer Michael Paggabao, provincial director of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), said their agency is consistent in providing tailored interventions to develop and champion the province’s local industries, such as coffee, in partnership with the provincial government of Nueva Vizcaya and other agencies, which include the Department of Agriculture, the Department of Agrarian Reform, and the Department of Science and Technology, as well as the different LGUs.
“This milestone at the PCQC not only highlights the exceptional quality of the province’s coffee beans but also underscores the dedication and expertise of all its stakeholders. These results simply manifest the quality of coffee in Nueva Vizcaya as well as that of the coffee producers,” he said.