DUMAGUETE CITY, Dec. 12 -- Multi-awarded Baslay Highland Agriculture Cooperative (BASHACO) in Dauin, Negros Oriental is expanding its production area to address the growing demand for its famous coffee brew.

BASHACO president and chief executive officer Ruel Perez said in an interview on Friday that the expansion includes an additional 88 hectares of government land leased to the cooperative.

"Currently, the cooperative has 60,000 coffee seedlings in its nursery, and that will be enough for an 88-hectare expansion that will help us bounce back," Perez said.

He explained that over the past year, they were unable to meet the demand for their processed coffee due to a low harvest caused by last year's El Nino episode and the impacts of cl...