Arufa

Arufa

This lot takes its name from the community in which it is grown. Sitting in the shadow of Mount Bangeta, the land is filled with winding waterways that help distribute much-needed volcanic nutrients throughout the soil. Traditionally, these remote regions of Papua New Guinea are difficult to traverse, meaning many producers have to carry their crop over long distances to receive factory door prices. Fortunately for communities in Arufa, the region benefits from accessible roads, providing producers with access to Monpi’s mill.

Land in PNG is still to this day conventionally owned, with plantations in Arufa managed by smallholder farmers; averaging just 2 hectares. Coffee is inter-cropped with other crops to increase soil humus (decaying plant matter that increases retention of moisture and nutrients), fertility and shade. Crops include; plantain, bananas, yams, sweet potato, cabbage and other traditional foods. Although a variety of other produce is grown, coffee cultivation is often the primary means of income; with other produce grown and livestock reared only for personal consumption. This makes coffee an important cash crop, as most farmers in the Jiwaka Province will grow coffee for income.