KINGSTON, Jamaica – The Jamaica Coffee Exporters Association is seeking to retain some US$10 million in exports of Blue Mountain coffee to the Japanese market for the 2020-21 crop year, similar to the value purchased last year.

However, the COVID-19 pandemic has cancelled the usual trade visit to Tokyo by representatives of the association and the Jamaica Agricultural Commodity Regulatory Authority.

The meeting with the All-Japanese Importers of Jamaican Coffee Association will now be held online and Blue Mountain coffee stakeholders are hopeful that the sector can attract orders to match last year’s export figures, association president Norman Grant said in a release.

“Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the regular Jamaica coffee trade visit that normally takes place in Tokyo in September was cancelled. During these trade visits [the groups] meet to review past crop, discuss current and future crop, and to update on supply and demand behaviour in the Jamaica and Japan markets respectively. This year the conference meeting will take place on a virtual platform on November 16.”

He said Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries Floyd Green has accepted an invitation to address this conference, while he will provide an update on the current supply of Jamaica coffee including the impact of the recent flood rains on the coffee sector.

Tatsushi Ueshima, Chairman of UCC Coffee and All-Japanese Importers of Jamaican Coffee, will provide an update on the demand for Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee in Japan.