Buyer: Store your beans

By PETER ESILA
COFFEE growers in Eastern Highlands have been urged to store their beans if they are not able trade due to low trading hours during the Covid-19 state of emergency.
Coffee buyer company Nowek Ltd director Ben Shelley told The National that the Covid-19 had created a temporary negative impact on business.
“We are experiencing low volumes of coffee being traded with the farmers which then affects volumes being processed and exported,” he said.
Eastern Highlands has also imposed the curfew which starts at 2pm.
“The coronavirus is having a major impact on consumers worldwide where consumption of coffee has significantly dropped,” Shelley said.
“The farmers are still out in their fields tending to their crops.
“Farmers who do not wish to trade during the crisis are able to store their coffee and sell at another time.
“Coffee, if stored properly, can be held onto for months and still maintain its quality.
“We, however, see the current situation as a minor, temporary setback and believe local coffee trading volumes will start to increase as the coffee season for 2020 starts to kick off.
“We are also hopeful that the world market coffee price will rally and coffee will be in demand as the pandemic eases off and business returns to normal.”
Shelley said the office was still able to trade coffee.
“Our doors are open for business from 8am to 2pm,” he said.
“Our local authorities have advised us of a curfew beginning at 2pm.
“This still gives us ample time to trade coffee.
“Some of our employees who live on the worksite premises are able to work normal hours, we are currently still fortunately able to employ all of our employees.”
Shelley said addressing coronavirus was important and he wanted to see the curfew lifted as soon as possible. “We want to see businesses return to normal as coffee is one of the main sources of income for the people and a lot of jobs are on the line due to the slowdown in business,” he said.