Quality and Ethical Sourcing among Smallholder Coffee Producers in Papua New Guinea

Abstract

In order to participate in the emerging speciality coffee market, there is a requirement for traders to implement third party certified quality assurance systems to verify that appropriate practices to protect the environment and worker welface have been followed. This paper explores both the opportunities and impediments associated with teh introduction of ethical procurement systems in teh Papua New Guinea coffee industry. While remoteness and inaccessibility supports sustainable production systems, without a significant improvement in the way in which smallholder farmers process their coffee, price premiums in the long-term cannot be justified. Poor infrastructure, high costs and the high likelihood that collaborative marketing groups will fail present additional impediments.