BAYOMBONG, Nueva Vizcaya (October 17, 2023)—Governor Jose “Jing” Gambito on Tuesday said the provincial government is committed to providing the necessary support to strengthen the coffee industry in the province.
“In partnership with the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) and the Department of Agriculture-Nueva Vizcaya Experiment Station (DA-NVES), the provincial government looks at the coffee industry as one of the industries in the province considered a priority,” Gambito said.
The governor said he wants to put Nueva Vizcaya on the coffee map by investing in vast tracts of land and assisting farmers in establishing coffee processing plants.
The provincial government has so far working on providing training, farm inputs, and linkages to institutional buyers in partnership with the DTI and the DA.
Meanwhile, the DTI provincial office here in collaboration with the DA-NVES and other coffee industry stakeholders has reorganized the Nueva Vizcaya Coffee Industry Development Council and conducted a Focus Group Discussion on October 12, 2023 at the DA-NVES in Bagabag town.
Manilyn Ponce, DTI Region 2 information officer, said this initiative aims to intensify the promotion of the coffee industry by establishing a strong network among the coffee industry players.
Ponce said these players include farmers, producers, processors, traders, coffee shop owners, the academe, non-government agencies and organizations, local government units and other stakeholders.
DTI Nueva Vizcaya officer-in-charge provincial director Rowena Mayanga said the coffee industry is among the country’s sectors being promoted and considered a priority for development.
“The local and global market of coffee is growing and the participation of a large number of farmers and coffee growers makes the sector a vehicle for inclusive growth,” Mayanga said.
She also noted the importance of the concerted efforts of everyone in the coffee industry and other stakeholders “to stimulate substantial development for the coffee industry in the province.”
“The continuous innovation and a desire for improvement are ingredients to achieve a certain level of excellence,” Mayanga said. LEIF DAHL