The Jamaica Coffee Exporters Association along with its over 7,000 coffee farmers, in association with the Jamaica Agricultural Commodities Regulatory Authority (JACRA), will celebrate Jamaica Blue Mountain Coffee Day in Jamaica and All Importers Of Jamaican Coffee in Japan (AJIJC) on January 9, 2019.

The celebration is being endorsed by Jamaica Promotions Corporation (Jampro) and the Jamaica Tourist Board (JTB). Jamaica’s coffee industry is one of the country’s most important subsectors, touching the lives of 102,000 farm families and generating approximately US$25 million annually.

Eighty five per cent of production is generated by small farmers, with the Japanese market absorbing 70 per cent of Jamaica’s premium Blue Mountain coffee exports, widely regarded as the best coffee in the world. The USA imports 20 per cent and Europe and the rest of the world 10 per cent.

The celebration of Jamaican Blue Mountain Coffee Day comes against the background of Japan legislating that January 9 be proclaimed Jamaica Blue Mountain Coffee Day in Japan in recognition of that date when the largest shipment of Jamaica Blue Mountain Coffee left Kingston to Japan in 1967, following the first direct shipment from Jamaica to Japan in March 1953.

Chairman of the Jamaica Coffee Exporters Association Norman Grant said that “the mission of the Jamaica Coffee Exporters Association, in tandem with the various stakeholders, is to grow and redevelop the Jamaica coffee industry through increased production and productivity of our farmers, sustainable prices, brand development and expansion, and market development and diversification. The celebration of Jamaica Blue Mountain Coffee Day in Jamaica and Japan is part of the initiative.

Grant also noted that as part of the Jamaica Coffee Exporters strategy to develop the Jamaica Blue Mountain Coffee Brand and expand the market: “We are now seeking the engagement of over 25 million coffee stakeholders globally to join Jamaica in celebrating the finest coffee in the world. Among our objectives is to market Jamaica Blue Mountain Coffee to the over 4.3 million tourists that visit our country annually, as well as to expand the Jamaica Blue Mountain brand globally and the refreshing of the brand which we believe will stimulate demand for JBM Coffee.”