From its earliest introduction to the present day, the arabica gene stock in Papua New Guinea (PNG) is considered one of the country’s strongest natural assets, not to mention one of the best-preserved typica lineage varieties in the world. And these delicate genetics clearly thrive in PNG’s highlands, which are among the most pristine and fertile on the planet.
This unique natural lot is made possible by Monpi Coffee, a miller and exporter based in both Garoka and Mt. Hagen, the two main coffee industry hubs in PNG’s highlands. Monpi also partners with independent washing stations and occasionally commissions specific processing styles in collaboration with participating growers. In this case, Monpi worked with the Kindeng Wet Mill to sort and separate exemplary cherry prior to the typical depulping phase, and directly dry the fruit as a full natural process, a process that takes a full month in Jiwaka’s cool highlands. Once the drying is complete, the coffee is transported to Monpi’s Kagamuga dry mill for hulling, and finally fully milled for export in Garoka.
In addition to value-added processing programs like this one, Monpi also maintains a business unit dedicated to supporting smallholders directly through training and community support. Called Sustainability Management Service (SMS), the team oversees trainings throughout the year that address agricultural practices, gender equality, youth inclusion, climate change mitigation, and environmental preservation. The Kagamuga dry mill is also developing a coffee nursery to provide new plantings to local farmer networks, to support productivity for their farmers for the long term.
