The regulation of the coffee industry is enforced through routine inspections. The Inspections section polices the industry to ensure all coffee dealers are complying with procedures and guidelines put in place by the CIC.
The Inspections and Licensing section issues licenses to dealers and conducts inspections to all licensed coffee dealers, roadside coffee buyers and other properties and premises where coffee is handled. It also implements and enforces industry policies and guidelines and implements training sessions for industry participants in quality and regulatory policy matters. These guidelines and policies are set up to control dealings of coffee so that premium quality coffee is processed and marketed, thereby maximising financial returns to all industry players.
Inspections being one of the fundamental components of IR&C has eight [8] inspectors engaged to perform and execute the functions of inspections. The Inspectors perform the following:
- Ensures that all exporters conform to PNG Standards for Green Coffee so that maximum FOB values are attained,
- Ensures that the industry quality of coffee at processing, manufacturing and exporting facilities/equipment standards are maintained and adhered to at all times by industry operators as required and constituted by CIC Board,
- Implement the Corporation’s policies on licensing of processors, manufacturers and exporters in relation to both equipment and coffee quality so as to increase quality and FOB values of PNG coffee.
- Conduct farmers and factory manager training to boost quality matters, and
- Guard the industry against antagonistic policies