Buoyed by soaring global coffee prices, Philippine coffee exports jumped 124 percent in the first semester this year to $3.20 million over the same period last year of $1.43 million, the International Coffee Organization Coordinating Agency (ICOCA) of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI).

DTI Senior Undersecretary Thomas G. Aquino said the first semester exports figure already accounted for 80 percent of the $3.834-million worth of coffee exports in 2004.

According to ICOCA, coffee prices have increased significantly benefiting local coffee farmers.

So far, coffee prices ranged ffrom R50.00 per kilogram to as high as R72.00 per kilogram for the period March to June this year.

Records show that the last time Philippine exporters experienced these price levels were in 1987 to 1989 before the London-based International Coffee Organization suspended world coffee prices due to the glut in supply of coffee.

Over-supply affected the fluctuation of coffee prices for one and a half decade, the ICOCA said.

In addition, Aquino said the growth of coffee exports can be attributed to the countrys efforts to tap niche markets and the good prices of coffee in the domestic and world markets.

Likewise, the government and industry are pushing for the promotion of exotic and gourmet coffee.

"Efforts are now geared towards the promotion of exotic and gourmet coffees. Recently, the country shipped about $21,600 worth of exotic Civet and gourmet Arabica coffee to Japan," Aquino said.

Soluble/instant coffee makes up the bulk of exports for the January to June period, accounting for 98 percent of total coffee exports. About 70 percent of soluble/instant coffee exports were shipped to Japan.

"We are happy to note that bulk of our exports are value-added coffee products. Products with high value added have more local content, which create more jobs and generate more foreign exchange for our country," Aquino said.

Raw coffee beans exports, on the other hand, cornered 1.5 percent of total coffee exports. The Sultanate of Oman, Japan, and China are the main markets of raw coffee beans.

Roasted coffee, which has .5 percent of aggregate exports, was shipped to the US. (BCM)

The highest monthly exports value was recorded in June 2005 at June $923,505 or almost onethird of total shipments in the first half of 2005. (BCM)