Papua New Guinea - Simbai Balus Kopi Coffee Overview

Simbai Balus Kopi coffee, also called Airplane coffee, comes from the Simbai area of Papua New Guinea, just over the Bismarck Range bordering the Western Highlands Province and Sepik Province. Grown at an altitude ranging from 1600 - 1900 meters and produced by Simbai smallholders, this coffee is an arabica typica varietal, washed process, and harvested May - September.

The journey from farm to cup is not a simple one in the mountainous country of Papua New Guinea, but one that is well worth it when you take your first sip of this heavy bodied, medium acidity coffee with notes of caramel, dried fruit, sweet caramel, subtle green tea and melon.

The History of the Coffee in Papua New Guinea

Coffee was first introduced to Papua New Guinea in the late 1800s and has since grown to be one of two major exports for the country alongside palm oil. However, the coffee industry in the country is far more wide reaching because it touches the lives of two to three million people when taking into account the entire coffee supply chain. A large portion of Papua New Guinea coffee is grown in small gardens, sometimes referred to as “peasant patches” because it is peasants who cultivate the coffee plants. Today, coffee is reportedly grown in 15 of the country's 19 provinces and it is estimated that close to 50 percent of rural households are involved in the growing and harvesting of coffee.

The Present Day Obstacles of the Coffee Industry in Papua New Guinea

Since all coffee from Simbai is transported via plane, sourcing and exporting Simbai Balus Kopi is not easy. Volcafe PNG Exports, Genuine Origins sister company in Papua New Guinea, services over 4,000 farmers in this isolated region through four airstrips. In order to access the supply chain, Simbai farmers must bring their coffee to an airstrip; some farmers have a day’s journey from their farm to the airfields. At the airfields, the parchment is weighed, recorded and stored in sheds. When there is enough coffee for a plane-load, local managers get a charter flight ready. They also organize freight and people for the airstrip for the outbound journey to cover part of the charter cost (usually about $2,000 USD). The coffee is then transported to Mt Hagen where it gains access to our global supply chain, and to your cup.

Sources: 

Genuine Origin. “PNG Simbai Balus Kopi - Airplane Coffee - 2019.” https://www.genuineorigin.com/2019-PNG-Simbai-Balus-Kopi?quantity=1&custcol3=1

Coffee Industry Corporation - Papua New Guinea. “History Of Coffee In PNG.” February 14, 2017. https://www.cic.org.pg/2017/02/14/history-of-coffee-in-png/

Espresso & Coffee Guide. “Papua New Guinea Coffee Beans (PNG).” https://espressocoffeeguide.com/gourmet-coffee/asian-indonesian-and-pacific-coffees/papua-new-guinea-coffee/