Chairman of the Jamaica Coffee Exporters Association (JCEA) Dr Norman Grant has welcomed the government’s intervention and commitment to support the industry, including a $120 million allocation for recovery efforts, of which $35 million has already been disbursed.

In his message for Jamaica Blue Mountain Coffee Day 2026, to be celebrated on Friday, January 9, Grant emphasised the need for sustained support to ensure the industry’s future, including addressing mental health and psychosocial support for farmers arising from the trauma of Hurricane Melissa.

He thanked Minister of Agriculture Floyd Green for his quick response to the plight of the coffee farmers, their families and the wider industry.

“Jamaica Blue Mountain Coffee is a national treasure, a source of rural employment, and a symbol of Jamaica’s excellence on the world stage,” Dr Grant said. “On behalf of the Jamaica Coffee Exporters Association, I salute all stakeholders, farmers, processors, exporters, partners, and coffee lovers at home and abroad as we observe our 8th Jamaica Blue Mountain Coffee Day 2026, under the theme: Rebuilding a Climate Resilient Coffee Industry.”

According to Grant, over the past four years, the coffee industry has faced unprecedented challenges including consecutive periods of extreme rainfall and climate-related disruptions that have severely reduced yields of production and increase losses – an estimated J$2.5 billion over four years.

Most recently, Hurricane Melissa, a Category 5 storm, dealt a devastating blow to the sector, destroying an estimated 100,000 boxes of coffee during the 2025/2026 crop year and causing farm-gate losses of approximately J$1 billion.

Preliminary assessments indicated that 40 per cent of the mature crop ready for harvest was lost, alongside extensive damage to coffee trees, farms, roads, and processing access routes, Grant said.

However, Grant noted that despite the hardships, Jamaica’s coffee industry continues to contribute meaningfully to the national economy, maintaining its position in the global market and exporting millions of dollars’ worth of premium coffee annually.

“This resilience speaks volumes—but resilience alone is not enough. What is required now is coordinated, sustained support and effort to rebuild a climate resilient coffee industry,” Grant stated in his message.

He noting that the Jamaica Coffee Exporters Association continues to advocate for urgent recovery measures, including the implementation of the Coffee Crop Resuscitation and Establishment Programme (CREP), improved farm road rehabilitation, and targeted assistance to help farmers return to production.