A woman in the cutthroat world of coffee buying

By AUGUSTINE DOMINIC of CIC

The dramatic increase in coffee prices this year has lured many into the coffee business.

One of them, and the only noticeable female competitor to other male buyers in town,  is Repy Mopafi (pictured) from Bena in the Eastern Highlands province.

Mrs Mopafi parks her tinted white 10-seater Toyota Land Cruiser between Mendikwae Trading and Goroka Bowling Club in Goroka and buys coffee parchment almost every day.

She is outstanding because all other buyers are male and are lined up at one side of the fences of Goroka Council Chamber and Ela Motors while Mrs Mopafi is on their opposite side.

She was buying Arabica parchment Coffee for K5.00 per kilogram when she was approached.

She said she was honest in her dealings which she started in May 2010 and this was prompting many coffee farmers to go and sell their coffee to her.

“Depending on the type of contract I get with factories, I want to do honest buying and am purchasing at a higher price at the moment,” Mrs Mopafi said.