By Coffee Minister William,Martha Louis – PC Online Contributor
Copyright postcourier
Papua New Guinea’s coffee industry has reached a turning point with the opening of Homestate’s multimillion-kina dry coffee processing factory in Morobe Province.
The state-of-the-art facility, equipped with world-class technology, has already secured a dry coffee processing license from the Coffee Industry Corporation (CIC), allowing it to legally purchase coffee beans from local farmers and process them into high-quality green beans.
CIC Senior Coffee Inspector for the Eastern Region, Frank Waipi, explained the significance of the licensing difference: “A processing license lets you buy and process coffee, but to export, you must also grow it yourself. Export licenses go to those who invest in plantations and take part in farming.”
This means Homestate can operate as a recognized processor, providing farmers a reliable market while meeting strict quality standards. However, the company is not yet eligible for export, as that requires investment in 50 to 100 hectares of coffee plantations to demonstrate a direct commitment to production.
The factory opening was attended by Coffee Minister William Bando, who praised the private sector investment. “This is a purely private initiative, done at their own time and cost,” he said. “It gives our Morobe farmers a local facility so they don’t have to travel long distances to sell their coffee, and it introduces competition to ensure they get fair prices.”
Moses Maladina, Homestate director and chairman of Kumul Consolidated Holdings, described the factory as “a vote of confidence” in PNG coffee. “This facility is not just a building; it’s a statement.
It will train farmers in coffee and rice, teach them the full journey from farm to cup, and strengthen food security,” he said.
Owner Paiboon Wetwattana added that PNG has enormous potential as a global coffee exporter. “Coffee trade is the number one commodity worldwide. We want to build systems to export and empower our farmers,” he said.
With its processing license in hand and a vision for training and quality production, Homestate is poised to set a new benchmark in PNG’s coffee industry, supporting farmers, boosting production, and paving the way for future export opportunities.
