Coffee industry at crossroads - Tufton

Jamaica's coffee industry is at a crossroads and needs diversification if the sector is to move forward, says Agriculture Minister Dr Christopher Tufton.

According to Tufton, for more than 20 years Japan has been the dominant market for Jamaican coffee, however, the landscape now needs to change.

At the same time, the minister praised their involvement in developing the Blue Mountain industry, noting that they have spent a lot of money, but have been shafted in many instances by local dealers who took the funds and gave nothing in return.

Tufton, who was speaking at the launch of the 'Eco-Friendly Coffee Production Project' in the Blue Mountains at the UCC Creighton property, Irish Town, St Andrew last week, said the sector was in 2009 thrown into a tailspin after a fallout in the Japanese market due to the global recession. He said the effect of this was the suspension of a pre-financing arrangement and a reduction in exports to that market from Jamaica.

"The two messages were devastating to the prospects of the coffee industry of Jamaica," Tufton said.

He added that the ministry was forced to borrow some $700 million from the Ex-Im Bank to finance the purchasing of the crop.

However Tufton said, now that the coffee has been purchased, the challenge is to find the market for the coffee that has been purchased in a recession.

"The reality is that this recession has brought out an important issue that we cannot depend solely on a single market for our survival.

"At the Coffee Industry Board and the Ministry of Agriculture, funding is being sought to implement innovative storage solutions, and ultimately diversify the marketing of Jamaican coffee," said Tufton.

He said efforts are being made to address diversifying the market, citing his recent visit to China and efforts to woo coffee dealers in South Korea, Singapore, Taiwan, North America and Europe. A delegation from South Africa is to visit shortly.