Coffee Industry News

Successful Coffee Cooperative Society

Coffee marketing in a group will generate high volume of coffee and raise more revenue for smallholder farmers. Hence, the Coffee Industry Corporation Ltd, who is tasked to regulate and promote PNG Coffee is encouraging and promoting group marketing through Co-operative Societies registered with the Department of Commerce and Industry or with the Investment Promotion Authority.

An example of a success story of a Cooperative Society is the Rikarika Co-operative Society from the Eastern Highlands Province. The Society is based in the Habaru Village along the Okapa road about 1500 meters above sea level amid the boarders of Okapa, Henganofi and Lufa Districts, just beneath Mt. Kuru.  

Politically, they are in the Henganofi District but with their geographical location, it’s confusing to government officers from the three Districts to provide basic government services to them. As expressed by the people, “government services from either one of the three districts does not reach them, maybe due to the confusion created by their central location that one thinks the other District is serving them”.

Nevertheless, they are privileged to live along the recently upgraded Okapa to Goroka road and have easy access to Goroka Town and the services provided there.

One thing they profess about and continue to treasure is the unique coffee grown in their area, where the climate of the lower Lufa and Henganofi plains meets the high altitudes of Mt. Kuru.

The Rikarika Coffee Co-operative Society won the “Pride of PNG 2005 Coffee Cupping Competition” organised in Goroka by the then Coffee Pacifica Inc. which attracted participation from various international coffee cuppers including the Speciality Coffee Association of America.

The award was a big moral booster and the society continued struggling to uphold the quality values in processing coffee. Their commitment payed off with another achievement when the CIC Board approved their application and awarded them the permit to erect a dry coffee factory early this year (2010). This decision by the CIC Board was a first of its kind for Coffee Corporative Societies in PNG.

CIC’s Manager for Industry Regulation and Compliance, Mr. Sam Menaga, said the society deserved the award as they were very cooperative in strengthening their Cooperative Society for many years and have gained the recognition in producing quality coffee.   

During a recent visit by CIC officers and Monpi Coffee Ltd to the area, Society Chairman James Iswalito and his deputy Simon Fikime expressed great satisfaction in the society’s progress so far and vowed to continue to see tangible development being brought in to their area through the work of coffee.

“We have allocated land and money for erecting the dry coffee factory and hope to get it up soon”, said Mr. Iswalito. Mr. Iswalito also declared his group’s intention to supply Monpi Coffee Ltd with quality coffee produced by his group.

The group initially started with 25 members in 2000 and has grown to over 100 registered members, mostly smallholder coffee growers owning coffee gardens ranging from one to five hectares and totalling about 160 hectares.

 

Agriculture Extension Review | Coffee Quality Training | | Pomio Plans for Coffee | Plantation establishes school | ENB Coffee has distinct taste | Mine Supports CIC | Tarabo Graduation | Komp Coffee Plantation Rejuvenated | Coffee Rehabilitation in WHP | Coffee Berry Borer Update | Coffee Price Increase | Successful Coffee Cooperative Society

 

Updated: August 17, 2011