History of Jamaica Blue Mountain Coffee

Jamaica Blue Mountain coffee can be said to have originated in the decision of the French king in the eighteenth century. In 1723, Louis XIV sent three coffee plants to Martinique colonies, another lush fertile island about 1,900 kilometers southwest of Jamaica.

Five years later in 1728, Governor of Jamaica, Sir Nicholas Rose, received a coffee plant from Governor Martinique as a gift. And from that one plant the Jamaican coffee industry had its start.

Between 1800 and 1840, Jamaica became a leader in coffee, with an annual output of 70,000 tons. But in 1838, slavery was abolished and many coffee farms were closed, creating a space for newly liberated slaves who began planting food crops.

In the 1890s, the Jamaican coffee industry was in turmoil due to its poor quality, and the government passed legislation to dispatch talented instructors in specific areas and provide guidance.

In 1943, in order to rebuild the coffee industry, the government intervened committee, Jamaica coffee industry board (or JCIB) was born.

The JCIB was recently amalgamated in 2018 with other Jamaican commodity statutory bodies to form JACRA (Jamaica Agricultural Commodities Regulatory Authority). Thanks to this strict regulatory committee, the Jamaican coffee industry has thrived and Jamaica Blue Mountain coffee is treasured around the world.