Philippines

During his visit of the 4,000-hectare coffee farms in Amadeo, Senator Francis Pangilinan said that he was shocked by the fact that the Philippines had to import over 40,000 tons of coffee to meet domestic demand.
The senator said that the Philippines used to be the fourth largest coffee exporter in the world around 30 years before and insisted that the country should ramp up production to rise to the demands of the local market.
Nestle Philippines is the biggest importer of coffee in the country followed by smaller suppliers to retailers and coffee shop chains.

The senator pledged P5 million (US$118,000) of financial support for the farming village in Amadeo that supplies the chain of Metro Manila coffee shops with Baraka. He further promised to assist with the establishment of 10 demo farms through government programs, where coffee can be grown alongside other organic vegetables and high-value crops.