PNG "Y"

This grade of coffee is the dominant grade shipped from Papua New Guinea and makes up 75 percent of the national crop . It is grown by small subsistence farmers and dried in parchment form. The family usually looks after the trees and handpicks the cherry. This harvest forms an important part of each family's income. This coffee has good acidity and won respect in the international marketplace, it is often used by roasters to add complexity and acidity to the blend.

Coffee is grown in 15 of the 19 provinces throughout Papua New Guinea, predominately in the Highlands provinces. The Highlands provinces are primarily comprised of rich volcanic soils with steep mountain terrain and broad valleys. Altitude, rain and fertile soil make this region an ideal location for coffee production. It provides a livelihood for between 2-3 million people in the origin, with more than 50 percent of rural households involved in the cultivation and harvesting of coffee. It is one of the major agricultural exports for the origin and, whilst not the main foreign exchange earner, in terms of population involvement it is the key export crop.