Agriculture Minister Tommy Tomscoll grows, produces, and exports his own coffee

Agriculture Minister Tommy Tomscoll has showed that he is one who practices what he preaches by growing, producing, and exporting his own brand of coffee.

Tomscoll, his wife, and children attracted a large crowd at Gateway Hotel on Sunday, September 21,  when they showcased their brand-new product, Simbai Coffee, which is premium organic coffee from this remote part of Madang which borders Jiwaka and Enga provinces.

 A proud Tomscoll family of Simbai with their new Simbai Coffee. At back (l-r) are Sibona, Tommy, and Elizabeth. Middle row are Josephine, Vernetta, and Stephne. Front are are Tristan and Junior.

The packed Simbai Coffee ready for export and supermarket shelves.

Tomscoll family members showcasing Sibai Coffee at last week's  cupping competition

The occasion was the launching of the weeklong inaugural PNG Coffee Growers’ Cupping Competition at Gateway Hotel which is being attended by smallholder coffee growers from throughout the country as well as international coffee tasters.

“I’m a coffee and cocoa farmer and exporter as well,” Tomscoll said,

“Simbai Coffee is grown by the people of Kalam tribe, who all live in Simbai, on the border with Jimi in Jiwaka and Kompiam in Enga.

“Simbai people live along the border, and this is the coffee we grow organically, on family blocks, and then sell.”

Tomscoll said only coffee grown in Simbai was used to produce Simbai Coffee to maintain its originality and premium.

Selected beans are then bagged and airlifted by light aircraft on the short 20-minute flight to Mt Hagen where it is processed and mixed with other beans for flavor, and then exported

He said he only started producing Simbai Coffee about three months ago.

“We grow coffee, and we also buy coffee from all our farmers, which is then converted into green bean using our new machine, and then turned into ground coffee.

“Our first market is in Cairns.”

Tomscoll said he also grew and exported cocoa out of Madang.

“We might also go into oil palm soon,” he said.

Tomscoll’s wife and children also took part in the week-long cupping competition where they showcasde their very own Simbai Coffee.