The Department of Agriculture-Davao Region (DA-11) said Monday that the Regional Project Advisory Board had recently approved a PHP99.38-million coffee consolidation, processing and marketing enterprise through the Philippine Rural Development Project (PRDP) Scale-Up program.

The project will be implemented by the Magsige Multipurpose Cooperative, based in Barangay Dacudao, Calinan District, according to a news release over the weekend.

The DA-PRDP said the project aims to strengthen Davao City’s coffee value chain and expand market opportunities for local growers.

Within the enterprise, a modern coffee-processing facility compliant with Food and Drug Administration standards will be established to process up to 312,470 kilograms of fresh coffee cherries annually.

The project also includes the purchase of heavy-duty coffee-processing equipment and a hauling truck.

DA-PRDP said the facility will serve as a centralized processing hub for arabica and robusta coffee sourced from cooperative members and partner farmers, helping address producers’ post-harvest and logistical constraints.

“The project is expected to enable the cooperative to produce graded green coffee beans, roasted coffee products and instant coffee sachets, thereby creating higher-value products and reducing waste from lower-grade beans,” the DA said.

The enterprise is expected to expand Magsige’s supplier network from 42 coffee growers in Marilog District to 108 farmer-suppliers from Davao City and South Cotabato, including members of indigenous communities.

Coffee remains a priority commodity under the Davao City Commodity Investment Plan (2024-2026) and the Regional Agriculture and Fisheries Investment Portfolio, given Davao City’s status as one of the country’s leading coffee-producing areas.

Data showed that Davao City accounted for 15.30 percent of the country’s coffee production in 2024 and had 15,821.68 hectares of coffee farms under harvest.

“With the project’s approval, DA-PRDP and the cooperative expect to enhance productivity, expand market access, and increase incomes for coffee farmers while supporting the long-term growth of the region’s coffee industry,” the DA said. (PNA)