Agnep Heritage Farms, located in the high mountains of Benguet province, is working to boost Arabica coffee production in the Philippines through its shade-grown coffee methods.
Farm manager Noemi L. Dado, who also serves as CEO of Agnep Agri-products Corp., explained that the farm’s high elevation provides ideal conditions for cultivating Arabica beans. “The high elevation could be a good place for [growing] Arabica,” Dado said in an interview with BusinessWorld.
The family-owned farm was founded in 2018, with coffee production beginning in small batches three years later. “A discussion with my husband and daughter led us to turn it into a family venture,” Dado recalled.
The farm spans five hectares of land owned by her husband, a property that was originally forested and vacant, primarily covered with pine trees.
Benguet is one of the Philippines’ key coffee-producing regions, with its high altitude making it perfect for coffee cultivation. Agnep Heritage Farms sits at 1,620 meters above sea level, where cooler temperatures and a slower maturation process help develop the beans’ complex sugars and acids. “The slower growth allows the plant to focus more energy on bean production, enhancing the development of desirable flavors,” Dado explained.
Harvest season runs from December to April. The farm’s production has steadily grown over the years, starting with 300 kilos of coffee cherries in the first year, then 500 kilos in the second year. By 2024, the farm was producing one ton of coffee cherries.
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