Blue Mountain Coffee the Gift and the Farmers

[Sharingbuttons]There has been changes in the prices that are being offered by buyers abroad for coffee due to changes in the Global production, and there is a need for more marketing to be done in an effort to restore the Jamaican Blue Mountain Coffee Industry. However, coffee is under pressure and it is getting harder to do marketing for the commodity.

Two years ago the farmers were earning Ja$12000 per box for seeds, but today they are only earning Ja$3000 per box and Ja$120 million is owed to them by the Company who they normally sell it to.

The Governments holdings in the two coffee companies Mavis Bank and Wallenford have been sold and Michael Lee Chin is the largest owner.

There was a plan for Ja$23.15 million to be spent over 4 years, to find viable markets and resuscitate and expand the farms. However, it seems as though nothing has been happening and the farmers are not getting paid and they have almost given up on the coffee industry.

The level of production has been low as they have seen a lot of coffee products being imported into the island; the government has not applied a tax on the imported coffee products so they could discourage the importation.

Mr. Lee Chin saw the plight of the farmers and decided that he would give them a gift of Ja$ 60 million, but the farmers has rejected the offer.
Jamaica’s coffee industry has been something that made Jamaicans proud throughout the years and it would be good if all the stalk-holders could meet and find a way to restore the coffee business.