Investors urged to look at possibility of
Growing coffee in Marilog District

Prospective investors in Davao City need not go far to start their own business ventures because there are lots of opportunities in the city’s third district particularly in barangay Buda in Marilog District.

“Coffee was one of the seven agricultural products cited as a possible income earner for small and medium enterprises during the recent Mindanao Investment Conference and the Marilog area has vast lands that can be planted to coffee,” councilor Rachel Zozobrado said.

Even Mindanao Business Council chairperson Vicente Lao confirmed the possibility of converting the Buda area into a very productive money-earning community by it the center of coffee production in the region, she said.

Zozobrado said coffee drinking has become a way of life not only in Davao or in the Philippines but in other countries as well. As proof, she said, see the annual revenues and active marketing campaign of Starbucks, Seattle Coffee and even our very own Bluegre Café.

“Why don’t we take the cue from those who know how business operates like the MinBC,” she said. She added that Lao’s suggestion to convert Buda in Marilog into a premium coffee producer particularly Robusta coffee should give investors a hint to look into the possibility of entering into joint venture agreements with Marilog farmers some of whom are already farming and producing coffee beans although in smaller quantities.

She said the demand for coffee increases by 3% every year and Mindanao has one of the biggest areas ideal for coffee production. The Mindanao Coffee Board is even planning to produce 75,000 metric tons of coffee by 2015 to meet this demand.

“Investors should take advantage of this and invest in Marilog as it has an ideal climate and is not visited by typhoons,” she said. However, Zozobrado said Marilog is inhabited by indigenous people so government should also make sure that while they are provided livelihood opportunities, they are also not displaced from their lands by the investors.