Wearing The Headband Of The Saireri Tribe, Vice President Discusses Obstacles Of Coffee Industry In Papua With Young People

Vice President Ma'ruf Amin received a typical headband from the Saireri Tribe at the Meja Kopi coffee shop, in Jayapura, Papua, Tuesday (29/11/2022). ANTARA/Desca Lidya Natalia

PAPUA - Vice President (Wapres) Ma'ruf Amin wants Papuan coffee to become a superior product from Indonesia that goes global.

"Yesterday I went to Egypt, Egypt turned out to export coffee to America, to Europe, I asked, did Egypt really have coffee? It turned out that the coffee was from Indonesia, the spices were also from Indonesia and then exported to Egypt and in Egypt, it was processed with spices and coffee from Indonesia then So Egyptian coffee and sent to America and Europe, Indonesia must have its own, Papuan coffee from Indonesia for the world," said the Vice President, in Jayapura, Papua, Tuesday, November 29.

This was conveyed by the Vice President when visiting a coffee shop called Meja Kopi, which is a joint venture of the Inspiring Young Papuan group.

The coffee shop, which is located in the Jayapura Pacific Permai shopping complex, was visited by the Vice President after a morning exercise on the sidelines of a working visit to four provinces in Papua.

Vice President Ma'ruf Amin with Ms. Wury Amin (left), Spokesman for Vice President Masduki Baidlowi (second from right), and the manager of the Coffee Table Yan Numberi (right), talk at the Coffee Table coffee shop, in Jayapura, Papua, Tuesday (29/11 /2022). (ANTARA/Desca Lidya Natalia)

One of the Papuan Inspiring Young activists, Lita Numberi, said that both the raw materials and the coffee baristas at the Meja Kopi were native Papuan children.

"Even though some of us are black, some are white, all are native Papuan children, in front of you there are coffee packages of our products which are the result of assistance to farmers in the Bintang Mountains, Yahukimo, and others and then we take them and make products here. ," said Lita to the Vice President disitat Antara.

Lita said her group wanted to make Papuan coffee go global. So far the obstacles he is still facing, he said, are the packages that are still being imported from Java.

"Let us be at the east end, we want to learn, it's just that the packaging is still from Java Island," said Lita.

Lita also revealed that in 2023, she and her group will hold a "Coffee Papua Expo" event to invite buyers outside Papua to see Papuan coffees for themselves.

"I really appreciate the enthusiasm of the Meja Kopi community who have made efforts to develop Papuan coffee and also involve young Papuans. This is an extraordinary thing because we really hope that young Papuans will progress, develop and have the potential to develop their own Papuan coffee," said the Vice President.

The Vice President also provided support for the planned "Coffee Papua Expo" event.

"I hope that Papuan coffee goes global, I support it, including the event that will be made later, which is international in nature. I ask Mr. Erick (Thohir) to facilitate it so that the event can be successful and can give encouragement to the farmers and their off-takers who are involved in developing Papuan coffee," said the Vice President again.

The Vice President also hopes that the local government, ministries, and institutions will help develop Papuan coffee from upstream to downstream, from agriculture to marketing, and even to packaging.

Upon arriving at the Meja Kopi, the Vice President also received a headdress typical of the Saireri Tribe, which was pinned on by Lita's father, Yan Numberi, who also manages the Meja Kopi.