Jamaica Seeks Chinese Funding to Expand Coffee Industry

Jamaican Blue Mountain Coffee

KINGSTON, Jamaica, Last week Minister Shaw said that Jamaica had requested US$100 million in grant funding from the Chinese Government to advance the development of its coffee industry.

Minister of Industry, Commerce, Agriculture and Fisheries Audley Shaw said the money will be used to rebuild the Jamaica Blue Mountain Coffee brand.

“I have already had discussions with the present owner of a large part of the Jamaica Blue Mountain Coffee system and he has indicated to me that he is willing to look at us finding another partner to work with him to more aggressively build out the coffee industry,” he said.

Shaw pointed out that similar partnerships are to be formed to build out other industries, including cocoa and pimento meanwhile, the Minister informed that a memorandum of understanding (MOU) has been signed for the establishment of an agro-economic zone in the south-western parish of St Elizabeth.

He said a similar agro-park in the parish will be launched later in the fiscal year with a focus on the production of hot peppers and vegetables.

Shaw added that the new Spring Gardens agro-park in Portland is 80 per cent established.