Philippine coffee production is projected to fall below 30,000 metric tons in 2026, as rising temperatures hit farming regions nationwide, according to the Philippine Coffee Board, Inc. (PCBI).

“We might not reach 30,000 metric tons (MT) because of the rate it’s going,” PCBI Chairman Pacita “Chit” Juan told reporters in an interview on Thursday.

“Globally, the coffee that used to grow in lower areas, you now need to plant it in higher areas because the temperature has really risen around the world,” she added.

Data from the local statistics agency showed that green coffee bean output reached 35,650 MT in 2025, up 11.5% from 31,980 MT a year earlier.

With the projected decline and the looming effects of “Super El Niño”, local farmers are encouraged to plant climate-resilient varieties like Liberica, Excelsa, and Robusta.

“Our solution is really to give farmers alternatives,” Ms. Juan said. “All of our members in the ASEAN Coffee Federation are working together to develop the same climate-resilient varieties, and number one is Liberica, number two is Excelsa, then Robusta.”

Unlike Arabica, which now requires an elevation of 1,800 to 2,000 meters above sea level because of increased heat, Ms. Juan said other local coffee species can thrive at lower elevations.

“We don’t really plant anything that’s more than 2,000 meters, but we need to look for places that are 1,800 to 2,000 because… as it heats up, we need to elevate it,” she said.

“Liberica, Robusta, and Excelsa for now grow at 200, 300 meters… It could be planted where Arabica is planted now, so we still have coffee,” she added.

PCBI said it plans to work directly with local government units (LGUs) to streamline support and farm-based interventions amid the weather phenomenon.

“That’s where things happen. Not at the top but at the bottom,” Ms. Juan said. “Who gives the fertilizer to the farmers? Who builds the dryers? It’s the LGUs.”

The group estimated the country’s total annual coffee requirement at 150,000 to 200,000 MT, with imports supplying most of it.

In terms of domestic production, Mindanao produced the most of all regions, while Robusta leads local coffee types. — Almira Louise S. Martinez