KINGSTON, Jamaica – The Jamaica Agricultural Commodities Regulatory Authority (JACRA) says it intends to plant millions of coffee and cocoa plants to provide consistent supplies for the sector decades after the last significant planting for the commodities had been undertaken in the 1960s and the 1980s.
Acting Director General at JACRA, Wayne Hunter.“Our intention is that we will plant out approximately two million new plants over a four-year period for coffee, then when we look at cocoa, we intend to treat with planted grafting materials to have about one million new trees for the industry. This would take us significantly down the stream where we need to go towards sustainability,” said the JACRA acting Director General, Wayne Hunter.
The JACRA is the regulatory body responsible for coconut, cocoa, coffee, ginger, nutmeg, pimento, and turmeric and is empowered by the Jamaica Agricultural Commodities Regulatory Authority Act (2017).
“All seven of our commodities are internationally and locally sought after. We do not have the supply on hand and that’s why we are moving forward to ensure that supplies meet demand,” said Hunter, noting that Jamaica has prized commodities that must be carefully sustained to meet demand.
“ When we look at the future for all our commodities, we’re starting a seed today that it germinates tomorrow and that the next day after it will come into production,” he said, adding that the JACRA is looking to explore new markets served by the seven commodities.
“We currently have 70 per cent of our coffee shipped to Japan, 20 per cent to the US market and 10 per cent to other countries. What we’re saying is look forward for two things. One, diversification of markets; so, we’re looking for new markets and two, we want to be able to say to our partners that we do have the supplies that you require here,” he said.
“Now, let me make it clear. JACRA does not take part in any way possible in commercial activities; therefore, we do not set pricing. The pricing in the market has to do with buyer and seller. So, we want to make that explicitly clear. We do not set prices in the market,” Hunter added.
The JACRA said it is encouraging people to invest in the seven commodities to secure consistent development.
With the Authority’s aim of developing the sector and the capital-intensive nature of the undertaking, boosting the productivity of the seven commodities will require a multi-stakeholder approach.
“We do have a programme that we are about to roll out that would treat with the development of these commodities… that is currently before the Ministry of Finance and the Public Service.
Outside of government putting capital into the development of it, we also require public-private partnership, and that requires investment from our private sector to invest in these commodities,” Hunter said.
