PHILIPPINE coffee production could fall below 30,000 metric tons (MT) this year as El Niño and rising temperatures threaten yields, the head of the Philippine Coffee Board Inc. (PCBI) said on Thursday.
PCBI chairman Pacita “Chit” Juan said warmer conditions were pushing coffee cultivation toward higher elevations.
“Globally, the coffee that used to grow in lower areas, you need to plant it in higher areas because the temperature around the world has really risen,” Juan told reporters at the 2nd Philippine Coffee Sustainability Congress in Makati.
In 2025, the country produced 35,360 MT of green coffee beans, up from 31,980 MT in 2024. Output below 30,000 MT would represent a decline of more than 15 percent.
To prepare for drought, growers should consider cooler planting sites at elevations of 1,800 to 2,000 meters, such as areas in Bukidnon and Davao as possible locations, Juan said.
She also called for giving farmers coffee beans better suited to warmer, drier conditions, including Liberica, Excelsa and Robusta.
Juan said these types could grow at lower elevations, some at 200 to 300 meters above sea level, and could be planted in areas currently growing Arabica.
PCBI plans to help farmers by providing planting materials for these varieties.
“Our solution is really to give farmers alternatives,” Juan said.
