Morobe supports coffee expo

By LARRY ANDREW
THE Morobe government has given K50,000 to support the 2016 Niugini Coffee Expo to be held in Lae.
The provincial government is the gold sponsor of the event. Governor Kelly Naru said the money was to support the CIC in staging the coffee cupping competition from August 15 to 19.
“The competition will be into its third year, with Port Moresby hosting the two previous events. Lae is privileged to host the third.”
Naru said the competition was to promote the marketing of PNG grown coffee and to improve and expose coffee grown in the country. “The fundamental is to enhance production as well as enhancing quality in terms of coffee we produce and export,” Naru said.
The competition will be run in three categories – smallholder farmers, block-holder farmers and the plantation sector. It will be further split into two along the line of the product itself.
He said the competition was to promote the popular Arabic coffee brand and the Robusta coffee brand.
“This three categories have attracted 128 participants who will be segregated to take part in the cupping competition in relation to Robusta and Arabica. But the target is to enhance production and quality in terms of marketing,” Naru said.