There is more to coffee than beans

​For years coffee farmers has been content to produce and sell green coffee beans – these are the dried, hulled and sorted coffee seeds.  This may be due to lack of knowledge, post-harvest facilities and interest.  But green coffee beans fetch a smaller value on the market compared to its roasted and grounded form.
Coffee farmers from three farmer associations coming from the municipalities of Maasim, Kalamansig and Lebak were given a firsthand view that roasting and grinding coffee is a lucrative value addition to coffee farming. This happened last June 24, 2016 at the KERA Coffee Roasting and Coffee Shop at Kidapawan City, North Cotabato.
Miss Shiela Liung, Manager, explained how the business started and its many challenges, especially in marketing, before being able to sell its own brand of roasted and grounded coffee.