44, 000 CAPACITY ROBUSTA COFFEE NURSERY OPENED IN DAGODA

Governor Rufina opens Robusta coffee nursery in Dagoda, Central

A 44, 000 capacity Robusta coffee nursery was opened in Dagoda village in the Hiri- Koiari District of Central Province by Central Governor Hon. Rufina Peter on Thursday, 24 April 2025.

The Robusta nursery is a first of its kind to be set up by the Dagoda Cooperative with assistance from the Central Provincial Government and the Coffee Industry Corporation (CIC) following an MOA signed in 2024.

The event was witnessed by the Central Provincial Government (CPG), Hiri-Koiari MP Hon. Keith Iduhu, Central Provincial Administration, Central DAL, CIC, local leaders and the Dagoda community.

Governor Peter said the partnership between CPG and CIC is aimed not just at increasing production but also to build a coffee processing factory and an export centre in Central Province.

“This means exporting our coffee direct to the world market. This nursery is more than a collection of seedlings. It is a symbol of opportunity, transformation and prosperity for our province. It is the first tangible outcome of the MOA and today we celebrate the first step towards a larger and brighter future.”

CIC Chief Operations Officer Steven Tumae congratulated the Dagoda community and its provincial, district and local leaders who have willingly worked with CIC to establish the coffee nursery.

“The CIC Strategic Business Plan aligns itself with the Government’s target to produce 3 million bags by 2023. It calls for concerted efforts through such partnerships. Setting up this nursery is not a mistake but an excellent intervention to contribute towards that target.”

Mr Tumae highlighted that from a Rapid Rural Appraisal carried out by the CIC in 2024, less than 3.5 percent of Central Province’s 29, 998km2 of landmass is

currently producing coffee. Less than 1% of Central Province’s 269, 756 people are growing coffee. “Despite less use of land to grow coffee, the potential is there to expand coffee cultivation for both Arabica and Robusta coffee,” he said.

“In real terms of quantities and value, 3, 973 green bean bags weighing 198, 708 tons were exported and earned K1.6million from 2018-2024. Central Province has vast areas of land with suitable soil and climate for massive coffee development,” he added.

CIC Central Provincial Coffee Coordinator Jorine Hetora, said initial work on the Robusta nursery with the locals started in June 2024. “We began with 7,000 seedlings and today it has reached 44, 000 ready to be distributed to farmers under the Dagoda Cooperative. We will not stop here but increase its capacity to 100, 000 seedlings.”

Hetora said it was a first of its kind for the coastal community to go into coffee and CIC together with its partners will continue to guide and train them through the whole process. The Dagoda Cooperative with its 66 members will receive 200 seedlings each as a start. There are plans to increase the seedling distribution to 3, 000 per farmers to make it equivalent to a farmer having a hectare of coffee.

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