Ruel Mojica, Vice President for Research and Extension of the Cavite State University, encourages the participants to support local coffee farmers and venture into coffee business to help revive the industry.
DILIMAN, Quezon City—With the growing demand for coffee and the ongoing efforts of the government and private sectors to boost the coffee industry, the Agricultural Training Institute (ATI) conducted a free seminar on coffee production and processing.
Ruel Mojica, Vice President for Research and Extension of Cavite State University and former director of the National Coffee Research Development and Extension Center, discussed various topics about coffee. He emphasized the growing business opportunities in this industry citing that coffee business ranked first in a 2013 survey and is second to oil in terms of trading value.
Likewise, the Philippines is the biggest coffee-drinking nation in Asia according to Mojica. He added that the Philippine soil and climate are ideal for the four varieties of coffee: Robusta, Excelsa, Arabica, and Liberica.
Mojica also discussed some of the essentials in the coffee business and shared that certain institutions offer technical assistance to those interested to venture in this industry.
To support local coffee farmers and help revive the coffee industry in the country, Mojica also encouraged the participants to buy locally produced coffee and visit local coffee shops.
About 250 participants attended the free seminar including agriculture students from the University of Rizal System in Tanay, Rizal.
Among them was fourth year Animal Science student Kimberly Repruto who shared how ATI seminars help them in their school requirements. She was grateful for this seminar as she learned new technologies on coffee that they have not discussed in school.
This latest free seminar was conducted last July 13, 2018 at the ATI Serrano Hall as part of the Institute’s provision of extension services to its clientele.