Two foundations said growing high quality coffee beans could be a profitable business for many small farms in Negros, especially those situated in higher areas.

This was revealed by the Negros Forests and Ecological Foundation Inc. and the Figaro Foundation Corp. in a statement yesterday after conducting a series of meetings last week. FFC is a foundation of the Figaro Coffee Company, a Filipino business which has 52 coffee shops in the Philippines, China and the United Arab Emirates.

Figaro uses only locally-grown beans, FFC director Pacita Juan said, adding that the Philippines produces some of the finest coffee beans in the world.

"Many Filipinos underestimate the quality of local coffee, but they would be surprised," Juan said in the statement.

The Philippines used to export coffee in large quantities, but low world prices, government neglect and the suspension of quotas by the United States exposed its old suppliers like the Philippines to stiff competition, making many farmers give up growing coffee.

Juan said their foundation was established in 2001 to help local coffee farmers put the country back on the coffee belt and they are interested in long-term arrangements with Negrense farmers who will stick rigidly to their high quality specifications.

NFEFI is keen on starting a partnership between the FFC and the Upper Imbang-Caliban Multi-Purpose Cooperative that has about 30 hectares of coffee farms scattered within the watershed of the North Negros Natural Park. The area has a potential of another 30 hectares for coffee growing.

NFEFI chairman Gerry Ledesma was quoted in the statement as saying that the area is one of the locations they are pushing for the FFC to study.

"We believe it could be an excellent starting point for the re-birth of coffee farming in Negros and a great potential for sustainable livelihood for stewards of our forests", he added.*

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