Population (2011): 2,825,000
Coffee Production: 40,000 bags (60 kg), one of the smallest in the world. 85% goes to Japan, 5%USA, 5% Europe, 5% all other countries.
Regulation: All coffee production is licensed by the Coffee Board of Jamaica.
Employs: 90,000 persons including 9,500 registered farmers.
Country bag capacity: Jamaica Blue in wooden barrels up to 70kg
Domestic Consumption: 10,000 bags
Coffee Export: 30,000 bags
Area of coffee cultivation: 28,000 acres of which Blue Mountain is 9,000.
Harvests: June - July in the Blue Mountains.
Arabica Introduced: Introduced in the early 18th century. First coffee dates to 1728.
Specialty Coffee Regions: Chamchamayo Valley in the center of the country.
Grades: 1 (screen 17/18 with least defects), 2, 3, PB, other lesser grades.
Botanical Varietals: Typica, almost exclusively.
Comments
One of the world's best and most expensive coffees. But, the country has been beset with harsh hurricanes about once each seven years that generally inflict crop damage. The Coffee Industry Board of Jamaica has protected the designated Blue Mountain trademark and its appellation since 1953, to insure that quality standards are upheld and that coffee sold under its name is certified and not counterfeit. When everything lines up, JBM is a world class coffee.