PNG Moves to Revive Coffee Plantations with Major Funding Boost
Papua New Guinea has taken a major step to breathe life back into its once-thriving coffee industry, with the Coffee Industry Corporation (CIC) committing K500,000 in seed capital to Wahgi Mek Plantations Ltd in Banz, Jiwaka. The funding is part of a wider national push to rejuvenate coffee production ahead of the country’s 50th independence anniversary.
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| PNG Moves to Revive Coffee Plantations with Major Funding Boost |
Coffee Minister William Bando hailed the initiative, congratulating Jiwaka Governor Simon Kaiwi and his team for leading the charge. Kaiwi confirmed a K10 million coffee credit facility is ready to support smallholders and block-holders eager to expand production.
“We have the funds available,” Kaiwi told reporters, explaining that the National Development Bank will administer the credit scheme. “Equity requirements will be lowered so our people can access this funding. An agreement with NDB is expected to be signed soon so that funds can be drawn down.”
Wahgi Mek Plantation, first established in 1976, has endured decades of landowner disputes and operational setbacks. Kaiwi said the revival sends a powerful message. “On the 50th independence anniversary, we are putting our hands and resources together to revive the great Wahgi Mek. It’s the best thing we can do for coffee,” he said.
The governor noted other plantations such as Gumanch also hold promise for restoration. “When the leadership is in place and the people are ready, we must not stop change from happening,” he added, calling the project a lesson in resilience and cooperation.
CIC officials said a new management board is now in place to ensure funds are properly used for rehabilitation and long-term sustainability. Local stakeholders believe this oversight will prevent the mismanagement that stalled the plantation for more than two decades.
Wahgi Mek chief executive Mark Munnull said the timing could not be better. “God has His timing, plan and purpose for everything, and I believe the time to revive Wahgi Mek is now,” he said. Munnull reminded those gathered that the plantation’s founders — the forefathers of Western Highlands — secured nearly 900 hectares by purchasing 13 plantations in the North and South Wahgi, setting the foundation for what they hope will once again be a thriving coffee industry.
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