DUMAGUETE CITY, Negros Oriental, Feb. 20 (PIA) -- The Negros Oriental Hotel, Resort and Restaurants Association (NOHRRA) is helping develop local farmers in producing and marketing specialty coffee.

NOHRRA president Royani Dy said an expert of coffee roasting, Rolando Mirondo of Triad Coffee Roasters from Cagayan de Oro, has offered to assist the coffee farmers in Canlaon City.

“Some local government units can hardly compete in terms of production volume for the local market's coffee needs. But the quality, at least, is going to be the edge with this coffee demo tasting and smelling with some government officials and coffee shop owners in Dumaguete,” Dy said.

The exhibition aimed to increase the knowledge of coffee aficionados on the levels of coffee roasting, aroma, tasting and able to appreciate good coffee bean quality.

“We have collaborated with the trainer of the 1st Philippine Barista National Champion for him to help in educating us in the tourism industry here, raise our knowledge about coffee, raise our appreciation of high quality specialty coffee,” Dy said.

The Provincial Tourism Office (PTO) is promoting the 1st district to have equal distribution of tourists, infrastructure and income and has urged Canlaon City farmers to plant and produce more coffee beans in addition to its existing farms. 

In line with the province’s thrust of promoting tourism in the northern areas covering the local government units of Vallehermoso, Guihulngan City and Canlaon City, the PTO is supporting the ‘Viaje de Amor’ campaign of the northern tourism circuit.

Coffee is one of the most widely consumed beverages in the Philippines.

Records from the Philippine Statistic Authority showed that the country’s production of coffee varieties like robusta grew by nearly three percent or 22,000 metric tons, while arabica output declined by 9.4 percent or 5,955 metric tons. (JCT/PIA7 Negros Oriental)