New coffee factory for Hela

WORK on building a coffee factory will begin soon at Tigibi village in the Hulia district of the Hela region.
Huli Organic Coffee Ltd had secured K1.5 million to build the factory with the help of businessman Robert Tia.
During a ground-breaking ceremony at Tigibi on Nov 26, a cheque for K1.5 million was handed over to Kenmore group of companies to build the facility.
Huli Organic Coffee Ltd is the business arm of the Hulia Community Development Association, which had been rehabilitating and establishing coffee plantation in the Hulia-Beneria electorate since 2008.
Huli Organic Coffee chairman Luke Kewa said once the factory was completed and in operation, coffee farmers from throughout Komo and Margarima would not have to travel to Mt Hagen in Western Highlands to sell their green beans.
“They  sell their coffee beans at home and cut down on transport and other costs,” Kewa said.
The factory would also cater for farmers in neighbouring Enga.
Company general manager Tape Pulupe said while the electorate was host to 95% of the multi-billion-kina liquefied natural gas project, not everyone would benefit.
“Coffee is sustainable and will remain in the region for years after the oil and gas are gone,” Pulupe said.
He also called on the developers of the LNG project to support the Huli coffee project.