Gokongwei's URC signs 10-ton coffee deal with Sulu farmers

• Source: http://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/988148
• Tuesday, May 16, 2017

(TPGJR/Darwin Wally T. Wee (PNA)

ZAMBOANGA CITY, May 16 - Snacks and beverage maker Universal Robina Corporation (URC) is buying at least 10 metric tons of Robusta coffee beans from a Sulu-based agrarian reform cooperative.

In a statement yesterday, the Department of Agrarian Reform in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (DAR-ARMM) said one of its beneficiaries, the Kandayok agrarian reform community's (ARC) People’s Alliance for Progress Multi-Purpose Cooperative (PAPMPC), would supply URC with coffee beans.

Kumalah Elardo, who heads the Panamao-based cooperative, said the “bulk order will comprise around 70 percent of the cooperative’s accumulated harvest over four months.”

She said that Universal Robina’s research group has examined the coffee bean “to make sure the Robusta coffee the company would buy is of high quality.”

The cooperative had been producing processed coffee namely Kahawa Sug Royal Coffee and Kahawa Kubing Royal Coffee, a roasted civet coffee beans.

“These products have garnered recognition from different Asian countries,” the statement said.

“The Sulu Royal Coffee made many successes and recognition in the past under the leadership of Kumalah. The cooperative abides by their ‘pick red’ or ‘picked ripe’ policy in harvesting as well as other disciplined measures to ensure the quality of it produce,” the statement added.

Sulu has been a major producer of coffee beans in the country. Coffee productions, especially in the town of Panamao, have helped farmers.

“Dati nagkakabayo lang ang mga farmers, ngayon nakamotor na sila… semento na rin ang kanilang mga bahay (In the past, the farmers rely on horses for transport, now they have motorcycles… also, their houses are now made of concrete),” Kumalah said.

She said even former combatants in Sulu “left their past life of bearing arms and focused on producing quality coffee.”

“Each member of the household in the community are now involved in the coffee production,” Kumalah said.

The PAPMPC and the Kandayok ARC in Sulu is a recipient of DAR-ARMM ARCCESS project.

The community received common service facilities, agri-enterprise development and rural infrastructure.