The Department of Trade and Industry-Cordillera is inviting coffee growers in the region to join the Philippine Coffee Quality Competition (PCQC) to improve their coffee quality and market access.
The PCQC is an annual event which aims to identify and promote the best quality coffees in the country to encourage producers to improve their coffee quality, and to promote these to domestic and international markets. It is the conducted with the support from government, private sector, and donor-funded projects.
PCQC wants to see the best of the best coffees in the Philippines by performing evaluations aligned with grading and profiling protocols of the Coffee Quality Institute, and to make Philippine coffee known in local and international markets, said Karen T. Pagaduan in the recent 1st quarter meeting of the Regional Development Council-Sectoral Committee on Economic Development.
Pagaduan explained the competition process starts with the “coding” wherein each entry is given a code to make sure that coffees are scored anonymously. Second will be the “green grading” where defects are identified and counted to identify the grading score. The third process is the “roasting” where experienced professionals roast the coffee beans by following roasting protocols, and lastly, the “cupping” where licensed graders perform sensory assessment.
To interested participants, the PCQC schedule are as follows: April 10 to12 – request for kits; April 16 and 17 – sending out of kits; April 22 to 30 – submission of entries; May 2 – all entries should be in the Barista and Coffee Academy of Asia-Manila; May 3 – coding; May 6 and 7 – green grading; May 9 to 11 – roasting, and May 13 to 17 – cupping.
The maximum number of participants to be accepted nationwide is 150.
Pagaduan said a total of 73 coffee producers from the Cordillera participated in the event since 2018. The PCQC was cancelled in 2020 due to Covid-19 pandemic.
In 2018, coffee producers from Benguet dominated the Arabica category with Oliver Oliem of Caliking, Atok, Benguet emerging the top 1; Restie Labi Tacio, also of Caliking, Atok in third place, and Belen Macanes of Sagpat, Kibungan in fifth spot. Kelly Suits of Atok, Benguet; Donald Mapangdol from Otucan Sur, Mountain Province; Arthur Shontogan of Pico, La Trinidad, and Simon Basil of Tuba were in the 7th to 10th spots, respectively.
In 2021, George Dapliyan from Sagada, Mountain Province was in fourth place.
Other PCQC winners were Zandra McFadden, of Benguet State University, G Sip, Anielyn Tiongan, Lim’s and Martes Alodos.
Asiw’s Farm, and Olimpo Lumasoc, both from Kalinga, were also winners for the Robusta Coffee category.
Winners of the PCQC 2024 will be announced during Philippine Coffee Expo scheduled on June 7 to 9 at One Ayala Malls, Makati City.
The event is an avenue for coffee stakeholders to converge and discuss challenges and opportunities in the industry.
For details, visit the DTI office nearest you. – Maria Aprila W. Cruz
