Producer Profile
Date Established: 2004
Number of Members: 2604
Flavour Profile
Lively, well balanced coffee with bright acidity, dark chocolaty, nutty flavour and a slightly fruity finish. It holds well under all brewing methods.
Best served: Plunger
Papua New Guinea Profile
Name: Highlands Organic Agriculture Co-operative Ltd (HOAC)
Established: 2004
Fairtrade Certified: Since 2005
Members: 2,604
Photos from the Co-operative
Photos from the Co-operative
Area/Region
The Purosa/Okapa region is a picturesque area of the Eastern Highlands Province of Papua New Guinea where plentiful rain and rich volcanic soils provide ideal growing conditions for coffee. Coffee is the number one cash crop in the highlands of Papua New Guinea. Over 2 million people (40% of the country's total population) depend both directly and indirectly on money earned from coffee to purchase household, pay children's school fees, provide clothing and medicines and take care of cultural obligations.
Because these villagers live in such remote places, their coffee must be picked up by airplanes on grass landing strips, or for those lucky enough to have road access, it must be trucked to the nearest town.
PUROSA/OKAPA - Eastern Highlands Province
Use of the Fairtrade Premium
The introduction of Fairtrade coffee to the area has been received with enthusiasm by growers. Fairtrade certification has brought the growers together in a common cause of development through self-help. The future looks a whole lot brighter for them because of Fairtrade.
Revenue from the Fairtrade Premium has been invested to improve the working and living conditions of farmers and their families and invested in the diversification of local income earning opportunities such as:
- Improvement of roads through the introduction of community responsibility for minor road maintenance in respective clan areas
- Introduction of programs to help community schools with text books and desks to be distributed amongst the 20 primary schools in the Purosa/Okapa district
- Support to four health centres and aid posts through provision of beds and mattresses for the sick plus essential medical drugs
- Support of community groups particularly women's groups
Sources: http://www.fta.org.au/producer-info/meet-producers/-coffee
Products Produced by this Co-op
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