ACTL (Associação Café Timor-Leste, also written ACT) is a non-profit membership association for the coffee sector. It was formed in 2016 as the country’s first coffee industry body, with support from the Asian Development Bank, UNDP and Australia’s Market Development Facility. Its members cover the whole chain, from smallholder farmers and processors to roasters, baristas, traders and exporters.
What it does
- Represents the coffee industry in dealings with government and buyers
- Works on quality: training, standards and an annual coffee quality competition
- Connects producers with specialty buyers abroad
- Supports farm rehabilitation work such as pruning and technical help for farmers
- Promotes coffee tourism in the highland growing areas
In October 2025 the association, led by president Daniel Leong, received a grant from the Chinese Embassy to continue its plantation rehabilitation work (reported by Tatoli).
For visitors
The official tourism portal lists ACTL as a contact for coffee tourism, including plantation visits, harvest-season tours and tastings in the highlands of Ermera, Aileu and Maubisse. The harvest generally runs in the middle of the year; ask the association what is available before you go. For background on Timorese coffee, see our Timor-Leste coffee guide.
Contact
- Phone: +670 7812 5667 (as listed on timorleste.tl)
- Base: Ermera municipality, per the official listing