coffee

Under the coordination of the project officer of the Anglican Church Partnership Program, Morrison Wiam, three coffee plantations were started at Kronum, Tmnek and Golden Coffee Plantation.

“37,000 coffee trees were planted for Kronum Coffee Plantation in 2020 while the other proposed sites (Tmnek and Golden) are yet to develop,” said Wiam.

Wiam said 11 clans and 50 households, along with more than 1,500 farmers from the five wards, are behind the project.

Founder and chairman of Hamtai Coffee Group Ltd, Den Anas, said the people of Menyamya have been growing coffee since 1950, and have been cultivating and harvesting their produce without any form of support from the district, provincial and national government for 72 years.

Anas formed the Hamtai group in 2018, and he currently has a membership of 2,112 coffee farmers. Of that number, 713 graduated from quality training in March this year.

The coffee farmers are now appealing to relevant authorities to assist with much-needed facilities.

With the Government focus in agriculture to boost economic growth in the country, the launching is timely as Jiwaka is home of coffee production.

MP Marape was accompanied by Minister for Finance, Rainbo Paita, Minister for Agriculture, Aiye Tambua, Minister for Oil Palm Francis Maneke and other Government leaders.

The 2023 Budget promotes and supports the growth of Agriculture Micro Small and Medium Enterprises fitting into the commercial and downstream processing space. 

It contributes to the livelihoods of almost three million people in the country.

However, since the closure of several plantations in PNG, coffee production has continued to decline. Though coffee production in the country is currently driven much by smallholder coffee growers they face several challenges. 

President of Farmers and Settlers Association Inc., Wilson Thompson said going into the National Elections all the way to September, when new government will be in place, there is unlikely to be any government intervention or actions on the coffee price.

He raised the issue this week and attributed to a number of reasons for the drop in price, due to the following:

Caspar Nol is in charge of a coffee association in Simbai. He raised this concern recently, adding that farmers in the villagers have a lot of coffee to sell, but cannot bring it to Simbai Station and on to Mt Hagen. 

Mr Nol said he and others look after the coffee warehouse at Simbai. They have bought a tractor and need help in bringing the machinery to Simbai to resolve the transportation issue between local villages and the coffee warehouse.

This plan will promote gender equality and prosperity for women in coffee.

In a press statement by Pacific Horticultural and Agricultural Market Access Plus, the five-year Strategic Plan captures the economic vision and goal of women as active participants in and beneficiaries of the male-dominated coffee industry.

CIC Ltd General Manager for Industry Operations Division, Steven Tumae, made these remarks on behalf of Acting CEO, Charles Dambui.

Mr Tumae said the revenue made from coffee is from the 5 million people especially from the Highlands region.

He said: “When the extractive industries of copper, gold, oil and gas are gone, coffee will be here to provide for our needs and hold the economy. Coffee is an integral part of the rural economy and is an income earner to the country.”

According to CIC, coffee contributes about K500 million annually to the national budget.

The mills will assist them to efficiently process their coffee.

Agriculture and Livestock Minister John Simon officiated at this launching at the Nondugl

Council Chamber grounds recently.

The groups include Waka, Numkussy, Opka, Kumbal Kopong and Konum coffee cooperatives.

Minister Simon told the gathering at Nondugl that they did not need an educated person to go and tell them to attend to their coffee gardens, but that the knowledge and skills on how to till the land was already with them.

The green beans were used to make espresso blends at the 2018 Golden Bean AU/NZ competition, staged in New South Wales Australia from November 19 to 24.

The person who heads coffee production at WRC’s estates is Senior Manager John Sathya. He said the company’s coffee estates had done well this year.