Coffee Industry News

Rekindling Coffee in Bougainville (09/06/09)

Coffee has garnered interest by farmers in the Autonomous Region of Bougainville with expectations to assist in the restoration efforts of bringing the region to normalcy and to reach autonomy status.

The farmers have shown interest in growing coffee as a major alternate cash crop to cocoa and copra. The Autonomous Bougainville Government (ABG) and its people coffee would play a part in making the region prosperous and build an economy base alongside other cash crops.

The onslaught of Cocoa Pod Borer in the neighboring East New Britain
is giving second thoughts to farmers in the region. Thus Bougainville
farmers are looking at alternative cash crops and coffee is a logical
choice for them.

The Coffee Industry Corporation (CIC) Limited will develop a program
to reignite coffee production on Bougainville. CIC Chief Executive
Officer, Mr Ricky Mitio, will launch the Program later this year.

Many farmers expressed a need for market access and CIC would work closely with ABG to create interest and to get the coffee industry moving
in the region.

Technical officers from CIC visited the region to undertake a feasibility study last week (27/05/09 – 2/06/09) upon invitation by the ABG. They visited Bana in the South; Panguna, Kongara Wakunai in Central Bougainville and Buka in the North.

A meeting with representatives of the ABG and the Mekamui eventuated, revealing great interest in the cash crop. “We want to grow coffee” stressed the leader of the self-styled government, Mr Moses Pipiro.

Coffee was introduced by the formerly Department of Primary Industry officers and missionaries into Bougainville in the early 1960s and many elderly farmers grew coffee. In Central and South Bougainville, coffee trade thrived well before the Bougainville Copper Limited started operations which then lured many to work in the mine project leaving behind coffee cultivation. However, in the North coffee was grown for local consumption, which is still practiced today in the Gagan area of Buka Island. “We will be your disciples for coffee here,” pledged two village chiefs from Buka Island.

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