La Union opens First Coffee Processing Facility to Support Local Farmers

The provincial government of La Union has inaugurated its first coffee processing facility, a %u20B13-million project aimed at strengthening the livelihood of farmers in Bagulin town.

The 78-square-meter center was officially turned over to the Baguionas Farmers and Coffee Growers Association (BFCGA), composed mostly of Indigenous peoples cultivating robusta coffee. With the facility, farmers can process their beans locally, improving quality and cutting costs linked to transporting harvests to distant areas.

Governor Mario Eduardo Ortega, who led the turnover on Sept. 4, underscored the province’s goal of establishing La Union as a leading coffee producer. “This is just the beginning. We will continue supporting our farmers so that La Union can earn recognition on the national and global stage,” he said.

The BFCGA has so far planted more than 30,000 coffee trees across 30 hectares, producing about 400 kilograms of green cherries annually. Its members supply beans to well-known establishments in San Juan and expect the facility to expand both production and market reach.

Farmers welcomed the development as a “game-changer” for their community, noting it will raise incomes and open opportunities to tap into the growing demand for quality Philippine coffee.

Provincial officials said the project is part of a wider push to boost agriculture and rural enterprise, ensuring that smallholder farmers share in the province’s economic growth.