The Philippine Coffee Board (PCBI) expects national coffee production to fall short of 30,000 tonnes in 2026, down from 35,650 tonnes in 2025, The Philippine Star reports. El Niño and climbing input costs are to blame, and the harvest now under way is already yielding less.
The squeeze is sharper because the country relies heavily on imports, with local beans meeting only around 40% of demand. Brazilian beans, a staple of many café blends, have become both costly and hard to source. PCBI spokesperson Ceasario Kapunan says the pain falls mostly on small, family-run shops, while big chains buying in bulk have more pricing power.
Some cafés have already reworked their recipes, switching to cheaper blends of local and imported beans. PCBI chair Pacita Juan also points to a longer-term climate shift, with growers moving plantings to ever higher altitudes.
Source: The Philippine Star