WESTERN Highlands coffee farmer Madan Coffee plantation has landed PNG in the top five specialty coffee producer in the world. Madan, which is a member of the Rainforest Alliance Certified farms in the world, took part in the Rainforest Alliance’s December Cupping for Quality, held at the Specialty Coffee Association of America Lab in Long Beach, California. Madan scored high, ranking fifth after Peru and Kenya. The Rainforest Alliance’s biannual cupping event recognizes farmers around the world for their hard work in producing high quality sustainable coffee. During the event, a total of 45 coffee samples from eight origins were submitted. More than 95% of the samples scored above 80, the threshold for the designation of “specialty coffee”, which also indicated that sustainable farming could contribute to the production of high quality coffee. Madan scored 84.56 after top scoring Tunki in Peru (87.92), Deep River Kwanyoka Estate in Kenya (86.06), Peru’s Ururi (85.25), and Mihando in Kenya (85.19). Other estates and plantations, which made it into the top ten include Kenya’s Githaka (84.50), Kihuri Estate (84.41), Machure Estate (84.33), and Muthaite (84.31), while Parry Estate’s Kona Gold Coffee plantation in Hawaii, USA, ranked 10th (84.25).
Event hostess and coordinator of the Alliance’s Sustainable Agriculture division, Maya Albanese, congratulated Madan and the other coffee farms for producing more and better quality coffee. According to Madan Coffee and Tea plantation general manager Isaac Yalde, who was at the meet, Albanese had stressed that the improvement of workers conditions and livelihoods was essential for the farms productivity. Albanese also said the reduction of waste, energy consumption and agrochemical usage, increased soil quality and biodiversity, and facilitated the production of better crops. Established in the 1960’s, Madan is located in the Waghi valley in Anglimp South Waghi, which was recently declared a part of the new Jiwaka province.
It is owned and operated by Highlands Arabica’s Ltd, which ensures that the coffee is grown and processed at Madan and exported directly to roasters all over the world, including the US, Norway, Australia, Japan and Eastern Europe.http://www.thenational.com.pg/?q=node/29186
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