Kalinga coffee growers: Stop civet cat hunting

TABUK, Kalinga– Coffee farmers here aired a public plea to stop the hunting of wild cat (musang) or civet cat, lest the province’s booming civet coffee industry will go down the drain considering the vital role of the endangered animal in perking up coffee production which is fast becoming a lucrative industry.

Farmers in Magallaya Mountain claim the civet cat, which is commonly dominating their forests. is now getting endangered due to hunting of unscrupulous individuals who are not aware of the importance of the endangered specie in protecting growing coffee plants from attack of pests.

Magallaya villagers depend largely on gathered civet coffee beans from the excrements of civet cats they process in the production of civet coffee or musang coffee which is largely in demand in the world market and commands a very high price considering its aroma and lasting taste which is attractive to coffee lovers worldwide.

Civet or musang coffee is the province’s top premium coffee blend, now acclaimed in the country and abroad.

Acclaimed as best premium coffee, civet coffee bears a musky scent that is not present in other Kalinga coffee blends.

The civet cat, known to produce that same musk scent at its tail end, preys on selected ripened coffee beans and through its extra-smell sensory can detect selected beans even at night, thus, the said brand of coffee is preferred by coffee lovers in the different parts of the global village which know the best coffee brands that must be patronized.

Kalinga coffee, which is naturally grown and free from chemical inputs, come in three varieties – Robusta, Excelsa and Arabica, thus, it easily passing the organic tests conducted by internationally recognized organic certification organizations.

Through the assistance of government agencies, musang coffee business developed to be a lucrative source of income to Magallaya farmers and other producers in Kalinga to make the said coffee blend a globally competitive one that is now invading various markets and have helped improve the living condition of thousands of farmers in the different parts of the province.

Under its product development assistance, the Department of Trade and Industry trained musang coffee producers on packaging and invited exhibitors to local, regional and national trade fairs.

Through a short period, musang coffee is now in demand by coffee lovers and visitors who come to the province.

DTI Kalinga reported that among high-end coffee shops, restaurants and hotels out in the cities, Kalinga musang coffee placed a top choice.

Powdered musang coffee is available at hotels and local outlets in the province at P1,500/300 grams while other blends of Kalinga powdered coffee is offered at P140/500 grams. – Dexter A. See