The Kapao Rural LLG headquarters, in Morobe’s Menyamya district, came alive yesterday morning with the milestone launching of a 10-year agreement between Hamtai Coffee Group and Agri Assurance Ltd.
Founder and chairman of Hamtai Coffee Group, Den Anas, said Menyamya has been producing coffee since 1950 with no district, provincial or national government support.
However, instead of sitting back and begging for support, they have moved another step forward by insuring their prized commodity.
Anas described his vision of coffee production in Menyamya as a “100 dream”.
“Mi mangi ples, mi stap lo bik bus tasol mi kisim 100 driman,” he said. “Mi no go lo skul, mi no pinisim UPNG, mi stap lo bik bus na mi kisim wanpla 100 driman blo mi.
“Yu kofi fama, yu tasol bai tok na 100 driman bai kamap ples klia. Na displa driman blo mi, em i connection wantaim kainkain man.
“Mi stragol na ol kamaut na nau ol sanap lo ai blo yu na ol i luksave lo yu olsem driman bai karim kaikai after five or 10 years nabaut.”
This 10-year agreement, from 2023 to 2033, is a first of its kind insurance initiated by an agricultural group, and in this case, the 2,112 coffee farmers of Kapao Rural LLG.
Invited to the event was Morobe Governor, Luther Wenge, who was reminded of Hamtai’s K50 million submission to his government in December 2022.
In their proposal, the coffee farmers had asked for a coffee mill and their own export company.
“Den bai stap wantaim mi, mipla bai ansarim, we will give you your coffee mill, no worries about that one,” said Governor Wenge.
“Mi tasol mi bin givim yu export laisens tasol yupla no bin prodiusim inaf that’s why the licence was withdrawn. Now, if you produce enough, I will make sure to give you the coffee export licence for the second time.”
Wenge further said to include Anas in the provincial agriculture board while a pastor in Hamtai will be part of the Babafi Trust program, which is responsible for registering pastors into Morobe’s payroll.