Coffee Industry Corporation

“CIC is our partner. Many areas in the province need roads and bridges. For this reason we want to work in partnership with CIC,” said Anthony Kerni, director for technical and economic services.

 CIC through its coffee rehabilitation work under Productive Partnerships in Agriculture Project (PPAP) is considering two access roads for coffee farmers to access markets.

The proposed 5km road will connect Avi Market to Kamdiga which will help some 1020 smallholder growers in the area.

A total of 88 green bean bags of Arabica coffee and 77 bags of Robusta coffee from the competition were sold out to Coffee Plant Korea. The company paid a premium price for the coffees offered after the competition, hence relieving most coastal groups who entered the competition.

According to CIC records, 62 groups from the coast participated this year compared to only 43 from the Highlands. The majority of the coastal were from Morobe Province, East Sepik trailing just behind Morobe while the rest were from Madang, Milne Bay and Northern provinces.

The grading system was proposed by the Coffee Industry Corporation (CIC) and prepared by the biological standards committee of the National Institute of Standards and Industrial Technology (NISIT).

Senior quality officer Rose Romalus announced this during a presentation to some 35 extension officers working for Lead Partners of CIC’s productive partnerships in agriculture project (PPAP).

The field officers attended a week-long workshop held at Coffee Research Institute, Aiyura, Eastern Highlands Province, last month.

Acting chief executive officer for Coffee Industry Corporation (CIC) Charles Dambui said smallholders contribute the bulk of cherry beans for export because it puts money in their hands to pay for school fee, food, customary obligation and list goes on.       

“Nearly 3.3 million people of PNG depend either directly or indirectly on coffee for their economy, social and food security.”

But the industry continues to decline, with less bags exported over the years, says Dambui.

“In 2011 was the last time the industry export more than 1 million bags.”