Coffee buyers in Goroka, Eastern Highlands had a field day today as coffee growers brought their dried parchment coffee beans to town by the truckloads. Buyers set up buying points from the junction near the Mendikwae building all the way down to the main market and Chuave market near Aserufa fuel depot.

The buying prices varied and ranged between K7 and K8 in the earlier part of the morning. One buyer in particular raised their buying price to K10 per kilogram of dried beans towards midday. Word eventually got around to growers and they flocked to the buying point to sell their beans for the higher price. This resulted in their amassing of a few tonnes of coffee beans and consequently more work for the workers involved.

Goroka town was also inundated with people from the outskirts of town and along the Okuk highway. It is not surprising and is expected, as today coincides with the first game of the State of Origin series between the Queensland Maroons and New South Wales Blues in Australia. It is common knowledge that Papua New Guineans are fond and passionate about Rugby League, especially the National Rugby League in Australia.

Young and old folk after selling their dried coffee beans were seen spending some of their loose change, so to speak, on a few bottles or even a carton of their beloved South Pacific Lager. There were also a good number of people walking home groggily with blood shot eyes as the afternoon wore on. Not sure if they will be able to stay awake for the kick off at 7:30pm tonight for the match between the Maroons and the Blues.

While the rest of Papua New Guinea will wake up tomorrow and reminisce on the finesse and tactical skills shown by players from the rugby league game tonight, coffee buyers will be laughing their way to the bank with their premiums from the sale of green bean coffee bags. Oh, the green bean coffee mills are already churning and will be working overtime during the game and into the wee hours of tomorrow morning.