CAPIZ – The Department of Agriculture (DA)-Western Visayas, through its High Value Crops Development Program (HVCDP), has strengthened its support for the local coffee industry with the inauguration of a P2-million Coffee Processing Facility for the Artuz Farmers Production and Marketing Association (AFPAMA) in Tapaz, Capiz, on October 29, 2025.
The project seeks to boost local coffee production and promote value-adding initiatives within the municipality.
The newly inaugurated facility enables local farmers to process their coffee beans into market-ready, high-quality products—empowering them to earn more and participate in the entire value chain.
With around 300 hectares of coffee plantations spread across 23 upland barangays in Tapaz, the facility is expected to help farmers maximize their harvests and strengthen the town’s growing coffee industry.
Founded in 2017, AFPAMA now has 179 active members, most of whom are engaged in coffee farming. During the turnover ceremony, DA-HVCDP Deputy Program Focal Person Jonifer Frades underscored the project’s importance in transforming farmers into entrepreneurs.
“Through this facility, our farmers will not only produce coffee but will also gain from processing and branding their own products,” Frades said. “This is a step toward making them true agri-entrepreneurs.”
AFPAMA President Roy Palomar expressed his gratitude for the government’s support, emphasizing that the project will improve both their livelihood and the quality of their coffee products.
Representatives from the Municipal Government of Tapaz, the Provincial Agriculture Office of Capiz, and other local stakeholders attended the turnover ceremony.
The initiative forms part of the DA’s ongoing efforts under the Philippine Coffee Industry Roadmap, which aims to promote the production of high-quality, competitive, and sustainable coffee.
By empowering local communities, the DA continues to uplift farmers across Western Visayas—helping them thrive in an evolving and more competitive agricultural landscape./PN
