Credit: VIVA/Isra Berlian
Several brands of Papuan coffee produced by indigenous Papuan were exhibited at “Specialty Coffee Expo” in Boston, United States, on April 8-10, 2022. These coffees have even become the centre of attention at the coffee stand owned by the Indonesian Ministry of Agriculture.
Representative of the Agricultural Attache at the Indonesian Embassy to the United States, Rachmad Poetranto said that the enthusiasm of visitors to Papuan coffee was extraordinary.
According to him, thousands of visitors seemed to enjoy a variety of coffee, like Wilchoff Coffee, Kitong Coffee, and Manna Coffee.
“The three coffee brands are the stars of the coffee stand owned by the Indonesian Ministry of Agriculture. Everyone is curious why the taste of this coffee can be found in Asia,” said Poetranto.
Wilchoff coffee, owned by Willy Sombuk and his colleagues, grows from arabica coffee plantations in the Arfak Mountains, West Papua and Dogiay, Papua. “In’papua Coffee and Roastery” which produces highland arabica from the central highlands of Papua belongs to Litha Numberi and her colleagues, while “Kitong Kopi”, which is robusta coffee, grows from the lowlands in Yapen Islands, Papua belongs to Bintang Rivani and his colleagues.
These Papuan coffee business owners are members of the Inspiring Young Papuan community assisted by the Ministry of Agriculture. Nearly 2,000 members of the Papua and West Papua millennial farmers are currently registered to the program.
The Specialty Coffee Expo brought together North America’s biggest professionals, business people, and coffee lovers. More than 400 coffee and commodity companies brought the industry’s most up-to-date products and showcased the leading innovations in specialty coffee.
“If calculated from the incoming pre-orders, together with other coffee brands from all over Indonesia, around 20 containers have been ordered,” said Mey Osok, one of the founders of the Inspiring Young Papua Community who was present in Boston, exhibiting the coffee from Papua.
Mey Osok said on behalf of the Inspirational Young Papua Community, young farmers of coffee, cocoa, and other commodities in Papua and West Papua, thanked President Jokowi, the Minister of Agriculture, the Indonesian Embassy in America, the Consul General in New York, and the agricultural attache.
The effort to bring native Papuan coffee to the coffee exhibition centre in Boston, USA is aimed at encouraging coffee production from Indonesia to be able to compete with coffees from various countries in the world.
Adapted from: Viva & Warta Ekonomi.
West Papua Now 