Young Agusan cacao farmer harnesses AI to boost business

PROSPERIDAD, AGUSAN DEL SUR (MindaNews/2 December)— Young farmer-entrepreneur Japhet Gupit Tabale, owner of Cacao Prince products, is proving that agriculture and technology can thrive together as he uses artificial intelligence (AI) to market and expand his cacao business across the country.

A graduate of Business Administration and Computer Science, the Bayugan City native said his academic background helped him integrate e-commerce and AI into their family’s third-generation cacao enterprise.

Japhet Tabale shows his Cacao products during the Agriculture and Fishery Council Day in May 31, 2024 held at Grand Palace Hotel in Butuan City. Photo courtesy of the Department of Agriculture-Caraga Regional Office.

Their 2.5-hectare farm in the mountain village of Magkiangkang, started by his grandmother in the 1970s, now focuses on hybrid cacao varieties that produce higher yields, stronger pest resistance and bigger, more profitable beans.

Using AI-powered marketing tools on Meta Ads, Tabale inputs his target customers—such as café owners, sikwate shop operators and chocolate lovers—allowing the system to automatically find potential buyers across social media platforms.

He disclosed this in an online interview with Mindanews on Monday, December 1.

The technology also features a chatbot that responds to common inquiries even while he sleeps.

He began adopting AI at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, helping him adapt at a time when many local businesses struggled to reach consumers.

Before the pandemic, Tabale was selling only about 30 kilos of tablea per month.

Today, demand has climbed to 300 kilos monthly, with projections of reaching 500 kilos next year, depending on the supply of cacao beans.

He has even received inquiries for up to 2,500 kilos a month, but he said production remains the main challenge. Cacao is seasonal and his farm only harvests for six months in a year.

“Cacao supply is lower in Luzon, so competition is less,” he said. “Our tableya here costs ₱900 per kilo, but in Manila it’s ₱1,500—and they even shoulder the shipping cost.”

To build customer trust, Cacao Prince offers cash-on-delivery and cash-on-pickup options for returning buyers, while first-time customers pay in advance after earlier encounters with scams.

With business demand growing, Tabale has established a cacao buying center in Bayugan City to help farmers find fair and reliable buyers for their harvest.

The center purchases wet and dried beans based on quality and accepts unlimited quantities of wet beans and up to 300–400 kilos of dried beans each day to maintain high standards.

His drive for innovation has earned recognition and support. In 2023, he won the National Young Farmers Challenge Upscale Award during the National Pitching Competition, securing nearly ₱1 million to develop his farm.

He is also one of the Rural Agro-Enterprise and Productivity Innovation Development (RAPID) Youth Champions recognized by the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) in Agusan del Sur.

To further expand production, Tabale joined the Upland Sustainable Agri-Forestry Development (USAD) Program of the Provincial Government of Agusan del Sur.

Under the program, he received seedlings for one additional hectare and more planting materials to boost cacao bean supply and enable future value-adding efforts such as producing flavored chocolates.

Agusan del Sur Gov. Santiago B. Cane Jr. has repeatedly stressed the role of young innovators like Tabale in strengthening the province’s agricultural sector.

In his State of the Province Address (SOPA) in July last year, Cane emphasized that the province must embrace modern approaches to unlock its full potential.

“To keep up with the demands of the times, we need to tailor-fit our agricultural system to the latest technologies and innovations,” Cane said.

He also encouraged the youth to pursue agriculture-related education, saying this would secure their personal futures while helping local farming advance through science, technology and innovation.

The provincial government is ramping up support through major programs and facilities such as the newly established Soils Laboratory at the capitol complex and the Sustainable Provincial Agro-Industry Resource Center (SPARC) in Bayugan City, which serves as an innovation hub and market support center for farmers and enterprises.

A scholarship program for a Master’s Degree in Soil Science and Crop Protection under Sangguniang Panlalawigan Ordinance No. 730 is also underway, with the first batch of graduates expected in 2026.

With rising market demand, strong government support and bold youth leaders in agri-technology, Agusan del Sur is positioning itself as an emerging force in the Philippine cacao industry—blending tradition, science and digital transformation for a more competitive future. (Chris V. Panganiban/ MindaNews)