By ORCHY REX
Former Member of Parliament and now founder of JS Coffee, John Simon, has announced a major milestone for Papua New Guinea’s coffee industry, securing an export deal with a leading coffee franchise company in the Philippines.
Speaking during a media conference in Port Moresby yesterday, Mr Simon revealed that he will be travelling to Manila with 500 kilograms of roasted JS Coffee for initial distribution and testing across more than 400 café outlets under the franchise’s network.
He said the deal, If successful, would see the company order up to 15 tonnes of roasted PNG coffee every month, giving local farmers a much-needed boost through stable and improved prices.
“This is my coffee going directly to the cafés,” Simon said. “They will be testing our premium blend, 60 percent Arabica and 40 percent Robusta. If the response is good, we’ll proceed with full-scale monthly exports.”
Simon, who served as Minister for Agriculture and Livestock back then, said this initiative builds on his long-time vision to uplift coffee farmers by creating direct markets overseas and ensuring fair returns for their hard work.
He emphasized that PNG farmers are “price takers, not price makers,” meaning they rely heavily on government intervention and market access to sustain their livelihoods. During his tenure, he introduced the Price Support and Freight Subsidy Schemes to help farmers cope with high production costs and poor market prices.
“The cost of producing one kilogram of coffee is about K4 to K5,” he explained. “You can’t expect farmers to sell below that. Just like any business, if you buy a packet of rice for K5, you won’t sell it for K4 which it doesn’t make sense.”
Mr Simon said coffee production in PNG faces high logistical and transport costs, which make government support essential.
He also commended Air Niugini for partnering with him to provide special air freight rates to transport roasted coffee to the Philippines, describing the airline’s support as “a true partnership for local business development.”
Under the new export agreement, Simon said JS Coffee will compete directly with established global brands like Italian Roast. He expressed confidence that PNG’s A and B grade beans would impress international consumers due to their rich flavor and freshness.
“Italy doesn’t even grow coffee,” Simon said. “We have some of the best beans in the world right here in Papua New Guinea. It’s time we roast, package, and sell our own coffee to the world.”
He added that he was investing heavily to set up a coffee roasting and instant coffee factory in PNG, valued at around USD 250,000, with machines being ordered from China.
“I want to be known as the coffee man of this country,” he said proudly. I’m doing this not for myself but for the rural population. I promised the people of Maprik and Sepik that I’d bring coffee prices up to K10 for Robusta and K15 for Arabica and I’m doing it.”
Mr Simon said through his Initiatives, the Robusta coffee price in Maprik has already increased from below K2 to K7 per kilogram, with further growth expected once exports begin.
He urged Papua New Guineans to change their attitudes toward agriculture, noting that even when prices are high, many farmers neglect their coffee and cocoa gardens.
“The problem is not with our crops but it’s with our attitude,” he said. “If the cocoa price is good, do cocoa. If coffee price is good, do coffee. Let’s stop waiting for handouts and start producing.”
He called on farmers across East and West Sepik to clean their gardens and take advantage of the growing market demand.
Mr Simon concluded by reaffirming his commitment to helping PNG farmers through direct trade and value addition.
“I owe it to the people of this country,” he said. “I want to show that we can do it; we can roast, package, and export our own coffee proudly marked Made in Papua New Guinea.”
The first shipment of JS Coffee is expected to hit café shelves across the Philippines later this month under the brand “House Coffee”, proudly labeled “Roasted by JS Coffee Beans, Papua New Guinea.”