Davao: The Department of Agriculture in the Davao Region (DA-11) announced Thursday that a United States-based buyer has expressed interest in the region's premium coffee and durian commodities. This follows the region's participation in the Specialty Coffee Expo 2025 in Houston, Texas, last April.
According to Philippines News Agency, in a Facebook post, DA-11 said Sophia Calderon of Cup and Co. returned to Davao to explore the global potential of the region's high-value crops. Calderon's visit was facilitated by DA-11 through its Agribusiness and Marketing Assistance Division (AMAD) and High-Value Crops Development Program (HVCDP).
During her visit, Calderon met with Indigenous Peoples (IP) coffee producers, engaged with the Manuel Guianga and Sirib Growers and Employees Multipurpose Cooperative (MAGSIGE-MPC), and toured the durian processing facility of Eng Seng Food Products. 'Her visit highlighted prospects for scaling up production and expanding global market access, opening more opportunities to promote Davao's premium crops while uplifting local farmers' livelihoods,' DA-11 said.
According to the agency, Calderon is interested in sourcing coffee from IP producers and dried durian from Eng Seng Food Products. 'She is interested in buying Philippine coffee, especially that produced in Davao, because of its quality,' DA-11 added.
