Benguet coffee facts for kids

Benguet coffee, also known as Benguet arabica, is a special type of coffee. It comes from the Cordillera highlands in the northern Philippines. People have grown it there since the 1800s. This coffee is a kind of Coffea arabica, specifically the Typica variety.

Farmers in Benguet province grow a lot of this coffee. The weather there is perfect for this coffee plant. Benguet coffee is even listed in the Ark of Taste. This is a list of important foods that need protecting by the Slow Food movement.

History of Benguet Coffee

Coffee plants were first brought to the Cordillera highlands in the mid-1800s. In 1875, a Spanish governor named Manuel Scheidnegal y Sera started planting arabica coffee. He tried growing them in lower areas of Benguet province. But it rained too much, and the land was not high enough for the plants to grow well.

Early Attempts to Grow Coffee

The next governor, Enrique Oraa, had more success. In 1877, he moved the plants to higher places. He also gave young coffee plants to the local Igorot people. However, in 1881, another governor tried to force the local people to grow coffee. The communities did not like this. So, they destroyed the coffee farms, following advice from their elders.

Coffee Farming Grows

Later, a local chief named Camising from Kabayan saw how good coffee farming could be. He started growing arabica coffee with his own people. His success encouraged nearby communities to start growing coffee too. Benguet coffee became a big part of the Philippines' coffee industry in the 1880s and 1890s. The country exported millions of pounds of coffee each year.

Challenges and Recovery

However, in 1899, a plant disease called coffee rust badly damaged the coffee farms. Coffee production dropped a lot. By 1917, the Philippines exported very little coffee. William F. Pack, an American governor of Benguet, praised Benguet coffee's taste. He tried to help the industry recover in the early 1900s, but his efforts did not fully succeed.

Growing Benguet Coffee Today

Most Benguet coffee is grown in the province of Benguet. Farmers grow it in small farms or even in their backyards. In the past, this coffee was sold locally and also sent to Spain as a special export. The coffee industry grew well in the mid-1900s. But in the 1990s, it faced problems like rising costs and less government support. Many farmers then switched to growing other crops like corn.

Bringing Back Coffee Production

In recent years, local governments are working to bring back coffee production. They want to sell Benguet coffee both locally and around the world. Coffee production has been slowly increasing since 2010. In 2016, the Department of Trade and Industry opened a special center. This center helps process and taste arabica coffee at the Benguet State University. It was the first of its kind in the country.

Why Benguet Coffee is Special

Benguet is known for producing high-quality arabica coffee in the Philippines. This coffee is in high demand. Benguet coffee has a taste that is similar to famous coffees like Hawaiian Kona coffee and Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee. It is still listed in the Ark of Taste, showing its importance as a heritage food.