From Farm to the World: How Coffee Beans Connect the Goroka Community
In Papua New Guinea’s highlands, coffee is a way of life. Generations of farmers carefully cultivate, harvest, and process each bean, weaving tradition and craftsmanship into every step.
Harvesting: A Time of Togetherness
When coffee cherries ripen, the farms come alive with activity. Unlike mechanized harvesting, coffee in Goroka is still handpicked, with farmers selecting only the ripest cherries to ensure premium quality. This process is more than just labor—it is a social event, bringing families and neighbors together. Conversations flow as hands work skillfully, strengthening the bonds within the community. The income from coffee sustains households, supports children's education, and fuels the growth of the entire village.
Processing: Where Tradition Meets Skill
After harvesting, the coffee cherries undergo pulping and washing, using the region’s pure mountain water to remove the fruit and retain the fresh taste of the beans. The beans are then sun-dried on raised beds or in village courtyards, carefully turned by hand to ensure even drying. Throughout this process, families work side by side, helping each other to maintain quality and uphold time-honored techniques. This collaboration is essential not only for producing high-quality coffee but also for preserving the local way of life.
A Bridge to the World
Once dried, the coffee beans are carefully sorted and packed into traditional burlap sacks, ready to be shipped globally. For Goroka’s farmers, seeing their coffee reach international markets is a source of immense pride. These beans, rich with tropical fruit and citrus notes, carry with them the hard work, culture, and aspirations of an entire community. Each sack of exported green beans represents the dedication and resilience of Goroka’s people.
In Goroka, coffee is more than an economic product—it’s a bond that unites people. From the farms to the world, local farmers, through hard work and cooperation, share the essence of their land with coffee lovers everywhere. Every coffee bean tells a story of passion, tradition, and the spirit of a thriving community.