Lae, Monday, 7 April 2025 — The Acting Chief Executive Officer of the Coffee Industry Corporation Ltd (CICL), Mr Steven Tumae, has outlined a far-reaching roadmap to revitalise Papua New Guinea’s coffee industry, pledging structural reforms, expanded infrastructure, and stronger public-private partnerships to elevate one of the nation’s most valuable export commodities.
Speaking at the National Agriculture Industry Public-Private Sector Partnership Conference in Lae, Mr Tumae stood in for CEO Charles Dambui, who was unable to attend, and delivered a message of confidence and urgency for the industry’s future.
“It is an honour to represent the Coffee Industry Corporation at this critical time,” Mr Tumae said. “Coffee is not just a commodity—it is a livelihood for hundreds of thousands of Papua New Guineans and a cornerstone of our rural economy.”
New National Coffee Policy and Legislative Reform
Mr Tumae announced that the National Coffee Policy 2024–2034 was formally approved by the National Executive Council (NEC) on 18 December 2024. This long-term policy framework is now ready for public launch and will serve as the central guide for all industry stakeholders over the next decade.
The policy will be complemented by a new Coffee Industry Act 2024, currently in its final stages of preparation. Drafting instructions have been completed, and the CIC is now awaiting the issuance of the Certificate of Compliance from the Department of Treasury and a Certificate of Necessity from the State Solicitor before proceeding to Parliament.
“These policy and legislative frameworks are essential to modernise our regulatory environment, increase investor confidence, and align with the Government’s broader development agenda,” he said.
Strategic Alignment with MTDP IV and NASP 2024–2034
Mr Tumae emphasised that CICL’s entire strategic programme is designed to align with the Medium-Term Development Plan IV (2023–2027) and the recently launched National Agriculture Sector Plan (NASP) 2024–2034. Both frameworks identify coffee as a priority industry for economic diversification, employment generation, and rural development.
Key thematic areas include:
- Increased production and productivity
- Quality improvement and product diversification
- Strengthened marketing systems
- Development of downstream processing
- Investment in digital information systems
- Institutional capacity building and governance reforms
“Through these priorities, we aim to transform the coffee sector into a commercially viable, technologically advanced, and globally competitive industry,” Mr Tumae said.
Six Core Delivery Programmes
To operationalise these goals, CICL is managing six major programmes:
- SME and Enterprise Development – Empowering smallholder farmers and local entrepreneurs.
- Research and Innovation – Enhancing genetic materials, crop management, and disease control.
- ICT and Corporate Services – Modernising systems, data, and communications.
- Regulations and Compliance – Strengthening enforcement of industry standards.
- Extension Services and Capacity Building – Providing training and technical support to growers.
- Downstream Processing and Value Addition – Supporting export-ready processing facilities and product development.
Flagship Projects and Partnerships
Several large-scale Public Investment Programme (PIP) projects are underway or in the pipeline, including:
- Coffee Access Roads Programme – Improving rural road connectivity to facilitate market access.
- National Coffee Development Programme – A holistic strategy to boost production and sector resilience.
- Large-scale Plantation Rehabilitation Project – Reviving abandoned and underperforming estates.
- Coffee Market Research and Development Programme – Generating data to guide investment.
- Downstream Processing and Export Diversification Programme
Mr Tumae noted that these initiatives are being implemented in collaboration with provincial governments, district development authorities, private sector stakeholders, and international development partners such as the World Bank and Asia Pacific Association for Agriculture and Food Security (APAFFS).
Key Performance Targets
The CICL’s performance indicators under MTDP IV and NASP include:
- Number of coffee plantations rehabilitated
- Kilometres of commercial access roads built
- Coffee processing facilities established to international standards
- Volume of coffee exported
- Number of registered and functional coffee cooperatives
- Number of MSMEs supported along the value chain
- Quantity of quality planting materials distributed to farmers
“Our mission is clear: to build a sustainable, profitable and inclusive coffee sector that supports farmers, creates jobs, and grows the economy,” Mr Tumae said.
Looking Ahead
Mr Tumae concluded by reaffirming CICL’s commitment to its Coffee Development Roadmap 2020–2030, which provides the operational blueprint for all sector interventions.
“The coffee industry holds immense potential to transform rural communities. With the right policies, partnerships, and persistence, we can ensure that PNG coffee is not only known for its quality but also for the shared prosperity it brings to our people,” he said.
ENDS