CIC: site exposure vital to understand coffee quality

The work towards tying the public private partnership in the coffee business is gradually becoming visible through several visits and consultations carried out by the Coffee Industry Corporation [CIC] into farm sites.

A team of inspectors led by Farco Zume, Coffee Inspector for the western region, recently visited OK Corporation - Kimil Coffee estate in Banz, Jiwaka, and discussed the importance of quality coffee control and revised coffee grading.

Zume said that buyers from overseas have the purchasing power, influencing export price, which limits PNG’s price bargaining power due to failures in final documentation at the exit points.

He said the site exposure will enable CIC to do proper documentation and recommend that coffee processors have cupping lab facilities to grade their coffee according to the revised coffee cupping standard.

The western region inspector said coffee grading by cupping is one important aspect in the marketing space that determine the price to pay off the hard work for the coffee growers and processors.

The Coffee Cupping and grading qualities are normally done by exporters, however, Mr Zume said CIC is currently at the farm gates doing site exposure to encourage existing coffee producers to have cupping labs, grading their green bean according to the market prices.

“The CIC is putting in place a new or revised coffee grading after stakeholders’ consultation. The revised grading system is the shifting away from traditional screen grading,” he said.

“Now the coffee grading will be graded according to cupping at a cupping lab.

“This is done because, according to screen reading, some coffee can be ‘B’ Grade, but when tested at a cupping lab, it will have the tasting quality of ‘A’ or fall to ‘C’ grade.”

Mr Zuma said most exporters confuse the processors with grading to manipulate the price.   

Therefore, sites visit will help CIC to give back the power of coffee tasting, cupping and grading to farm gates so that they understand coffee worth. 

This visit is part of the public-private partnership that will foster proper documentation for coffee exporters to improve quality and coffee grading to sell their products at a deserved price.