Papua New Guinea- Tsekaka Washed

Papua New Guinea

Interesting acidity and high variety define Papua New Guinea coffees. Cultural diversity of thousands of indigenous groups and the mountainous topography are staples of the island. Historical changes in infrastructure have reduced the number of centralized coffee plantations. Many New Guinea plantations are actually collections of traditional “coffee gardens”. These plots can be as small as 20 plants grown alongside subsistence crops. With increased introduction of modern processing methods, these coffees continue to grow in quality and consistency.

Tsekaka

Tsekaka is both the language and the name of the tribal group that owns the Amuliba plantation, where this coffee comes from. The original plantation was started in the mid-1950’s by Norm Plant, an expatriate from Australia. Norm also planted the first trees on the neighboring Sigri Plantation, and was involved in the rapid growth of coffee cultivation in the Highlands region for years. The original plantation has grown significantly and was acquired by the Tsekaka clan in 1978. It currently functions as a coffee plantation and central processing facility for the region, with the owners purchasing cherries from local smallholders as well as growing their own.