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NorMin coffee products now in more markets: DTI

By Nef Luczon

March 29, 2022, 6:59 pm

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY—Coffee products grown and packed in Northern Mindanao are getting more popular as they become more available in different marketplaces, the Department of Trade and Industry in Region 10 (DTI-10) bared Tuesday.

During the Network Briefing News webcast produced by the Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO), DTI-Region 10 Information Officer Julie Nieva-Costales said locally made coffee products have been sold to grocery stores in malls, trade fairs, and even on digital platforms via online selling.

"We noted that in digital (platform) we have a bigger audience. We have a business-to-business program where we can link local sellers of coffee to bigger buyers," Costales said.

Costales said linking buyers directly from the local coffee producers increases the chance for local products to gain market share overseas.

Because of the Covid-19 pandemic, she also noted that selling local products online has become a viable alternative, creating a niche for buyers to directly contact local sellers and producers.

Costales said most demands for local coffee come from the provinces of Bukidnon and Misamis Oriental.

Other than coffee products, she said the region also has an array of products to offer, especially in the tourism and agriculture industries.

One of the other potential and emerging industries are citronella-based products.

Recently, the DTI-Misamis Oriental office turned over PHP1.7 million worth of equipment and facilities to the Mat-i Man-ibay Civoleg Langguyod Higaonon Tribal Community (Mamacila, Inc.), an organization of the Higaonon Indigenous People (IP), for their citronella production.

The 145-member group was given oil hydro steam distilling extractor, cutter and shredder equipment, heavy-duty digital industrial platform scale with 450 to 500-kilogram capacity, stainless steel cabinet, and stainless table through the shared service facilities (SSF) of DTI-Misamis Oriental.

SSF is a flagship project of DTI that aims at improving Micro, Small, and Medium productivity and efficiency through access to technology.

The group's citronella oil processing started in 2006 in Sitio Civoleg, Barangay Lunotan, Gingoog City, Misamis Oriental.

Costales said the equipment upgrade will enable the IP organization to improve production and create more jobs in the community. (PNA)

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