HISTORY OF JAMAICAN COFFEE

World famous Jamaican Coffee has commanded the admiration of discriminating coffee drinkers throughtout the world for centuries. In 1728, Sir Nicolas Lawes, the then Governor of Jamaica, imported coffee from Martinique.

Between 1728 and 1768, the coffee industry developed largely in the foothills of St. Andrew, but gradually the cultivation extended into the Blue Mountains. Since then, the industry has experienced many rises and falls, some farmers abandoning coffee for livestock and other crops.

In order to save the industry, in 1891 legislation was passed "to provide instructions in the art of cultivation and curing coffee by sending to certain districts, competent instructors." Efforts were made to increase the production of coffee and to establish a Central Coffee Work for processing and grading. This effort to improve quality, however, was not very successful until 1943 it was unacceptable to the Canadian market, which at the time was the largest buyer of Jamaican coffee.

In June 1950 the Coffee Industry Board was established to officially improve and maintain the quality of Coffee exported.

"Blue Mountain Coffee" means: coffee that is grown in the Blue Mountain Area. The quality of the beans is graded into Blue Mountain No 1-3, Pea Berry and Triage. Other grades of Jamaican coffee include: High Mountain Supreme, Jamaica Prime and Jamaica Select. In its wild state, the shrub grows to about 8 to 10 metres.

Jamaica's beans are well known for their exceptional quality and Blue Mountain Coffee commands extremely high prices. The Blue Mountain Peak stands approximately (7,402 ft) highland together with sunshine everyday and good soil, it all contributes to not only great coffee but the land of "wood and water" presents an incredibly beautiful environment to live and work in.