A Sydney-based company is looking to provide a ‘better deal’ for Papua New Guinea coffee farmers, and hopes to develop markets for PNG coffee in Australia, the US and China. But to do that, says Principal Pana Wiya, he needs a capital backer.
Village Coffee’s Pana Wiya
Coffee growers earn only 2 to 5 per cent of the retail price of coffee in supermarkets, or about K2.40 (A1.20¢) a kilogram, and that’s unjust, says the owner of Sydney-based Village Coffee, Pana Wiya.
‘It’s unjust because they do 90 per cent of the labour, and use their most fertile land to produce the beans. We aim to increase that income to about 30 to 35 per cent,’ he tells Business Advantage PNG.
Village Coffee is located in the Sydney, Australia, suburb of Padstow. So far Wiya has imported 15 tonnes of beans, from Wau in Morobe Province, and the Eastern Highlands.
Wiya has lived and worked in Sydney for 25 years, mainly in retail. He started Village Coffee when he realised that local growers receive a tiny fraction of the price of roasted coffee.
Roaster
Wiya has just purchased a 5kg roaster and is roasting, on average, 50 kg of coffee a week, which is packaged into 250g, 500g and 1kg bags. He sells directly to the public, via his website.
‘We’ve also been researching the US market and have registered our three brands with Integral Trade, a certification organisation similar to Fair Trade and the Rainforest Alliance’
It is early days. At the moment, he sources the beans from PNG exporters, but he says if he can obtain capital to process and market the beans, he wants farmers to set up their own co-operatives. He would then buy directly from them.
Export markets
In addition to Australia, Village Coffee has participated in two coffee expos in the southern Chinese city of Guangzhou.
‘The Chinese market is an especially challenging one, but it offers vast and exciting potential.
‘We’ve also been researching the US market and have registered our three brands with Integral Trade, a certification organisation similar to Fair Trade and the Rainforest Alliance, but which charges farmers and growers nothing to join.’
‘As well as the Village Coffee label for Australia, we’ve also developed Tenkyu Coffee and Kokoda Coffee labels for the US market,’ he says.
Expansion
Wiya set up his business four years ago. He is now seeking capital backing to expand his wholesale operations.
‘This includes new roasters and machines, employing marketing and coffee-knowledgeable personnel, improving labelling and the website, and developing a professional 10-year plan.’
Wiya aims to return K10 (A$4) per kilo to the growers, and an extra K2.50 (A$1) would be lodged into a superannuation fund.
‘Our initial estimates are that it would take two years before growers will see the sorts of benefits I’m talking about.
‘If you’re doing volume, you can more than cover your costs easily and pay the farmers more. Some coffee wholesalers are making healthy profits, so we can afford to pay PNG farmers more—and they do all the work.
‘This concept is not about maximising profits at the expense of lowly paid growers. Rather, it is to give them a fair share and to ensure their sustainability. The world of greed and money, and using other people for self gain, has to change.’
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Hi Pana,
I agree with your sentiments for PNG farmers. I have been in the coffee industry, working with an export company for almost 10 years. I’ve seen the hardship and the struggles local growers face in selling their coffee. I’m also interested in selling PNG coffee to overseas buyers direct from small scale coffee growers here in PNG. If you’re interested to purchase direct from the farmers we could further talk and get something organised from our end.
Hi, Pana,
I am a senior from Miruma Village and teaching Japanese at Sogeri NHS. Email me for coffee markets to Japan and Asia mainland. Thank you. Tony
That’s true. Appreciate what you are doing. God bless you.
Hello Mr Wiya; are you still in the Coffee business? Would like to talk. I am from Europe, we are looking for a trade partner.
If you are interested, just contact me: snowpasspng@gmail.com
I can’t stand the fact that the small guys always get ripped off. I’d like to see a product produced that pays everyone involved a fair amount. Farmers, we love you guys! Without your work, we’d have no coffee.
True road to success is captured here for poor farmers but sadly greed has found home to many. Pray this work prosper.
Phillip, have sent you a message on Agriledger site to seek assistance on Village Coffee vision. I need a business plan done showing how this concept can positively help growers to sustain their lives now and for future generations.
Pana, I have sent your message to the head of Agriledger. I will chase him up as well.
Pana send your details to me at phill@3rconsultants.com.au and I will connect you to David founder of Agriledger.
Organic Coffee grown in Okapa District of Eastern Highlands is aplenty. How do I get in touch with your company?
Peter Akori, I spent 7 yrs doing coffee extension in Okapa know the District’s coffee potential. I support Pana and the village coffeeconcept. Am now based in Aiyura
I love this platform to transform ordinary people’s lives in PNG.
I am from a remote village in upper asaro, kwonggi #1, Basis. I have seen the hardships that my people go through. Coffee are growing organically, but most times could not sell as no road links. To bring a bag to nearest road or school is hard. But, yes we have coffee trees growing, bearing cheeries, and all organic. Money to earn after all the hardships is not really worth unless necessary to sell. Your statements has hope in it for us. I will relay your message to my people of upper asaro, daulo. Thanking you.
Enga coffee is organic and would better market our coffee.
Charles
I assisted setting up of Heart Coffee Cooperative, a formally registeted group near Monakam village, Ambum. Working hard to connect this group under the village coffee concept.
Very much interested in the business and would like to be kept in the loop on the status of the operation.
Coffee farmers need to join with AGRILEDGER and form co-ops for strength.
Phillip, I’ve sent message on Agriledger site to seek assistance on how best we can help earn more for their coffee for the present and long term.
Hi Phillip, thank you for your offer to help thru Agriledge. I sent a request to discuss how best yo go forward with the vision to help growers. Hope to hear st your convinenance. Cheers, Pana