Philippines
Sagada, one of Cordillera province’s leading coffee producers, is inviting a panel of cuppers, including members from from Australia and Canada, to join its annual fiesta in an effort to boost the local coffee industry’s exposure to a wider audience.
The Cordillera Regional Arabica Coffee Council, tasked to promote the local beans, hit on the idea as a way to train and educate local producers as well as to promote their coffee beans.
Since the coffee industry is not yet fully developed, we also have to catch up on the skills level,” according to committee member Richard Abellon, quoted in The Inquirer newspaper.
“We are more trained in production than service. In other countries such as the United States, Japan, and South Korea, they have their own coffee school because the market requires that there should be training on coffee tasting.”
Council member Elizabeth Wallang, Sagada’s agriculture technologist added that the town’s arabica beans can compete with the world’s best beans
“If we are skilled on cupping, we will be able to develop the flavor of our coffee,” according to Abellon. “Some people prefer it mild, others prefer it strong, while others prefer it earthy. If we develop our tastes, then we can promote our coffee effectively.”