President of the Jamaica Coffee Exporters Association Norman Grant say “The JCEA and the over 7000 coffee farmers wishes to extend our deepest sympathy to the people of Japan the damages received to their property as a result of the typhoon that occurred on Sunday October 13, 2019. We also wish to send our condolences to the country and the families of the fifty (50) lives as reported thus far. Our deepest sympathy goes to the family of the 70 year old woman who fell from the rescue helicopter while being transported from Iwaki city in Fukushima prefecture, a northern area devastated by the typhoon Hagibus”. Norman Grant will lead a delegation of the Jamaica Coffee Exporters to l visit His Excellency Hiromasa Yamazaki the Japanese Ambassador to Jamaica on October 17, 2019 to convey our love and sympathies to the citizens Japan and well as to discuss the continued coffee partnership between Jamaica and Japan.

The Jamaica Coffee Industry and the people of Japan has a bonding through coffee that started in March 1953, over 66 years ago, through the first direct export of three (3) barrels of coffee by the late Kebel Munn of the Mavis bank Coffee Factory Limited. To date Japan continues to purchase over seventy percent (70%) of Jamaica Blue Mountain Coffee exports and in 2019 hosted the first Jamaica Blue Mountain Coffee Day in Japan.

At the meeting the JCEA executives updated and got support from Ambassador Yamazaki and the Japanese First Secretary Mr. Keiichi Kosaki on the following:

  1. The JCEA Banquet Awards scheduled for December 7, 2019 at the Jamaica Pegasus
  2. Jamaica Blue Mountain Day in Japan and Jamaica schedule for January 9, 2020
  3. The visit of the All Japan coffee Roasters Association (AJCRA) which will take place February 17-20, 2020
  4. Continued promotion and expansion of the Jamaica Blue Mountain Coffee Market which has decreased from a 25 Million Dollar market in 2015 to a 12.5 Million Dollar currently.

Present at the Courtesy call at the Japanese Embassy were:

  1. His Excellency Hiromasa Yamazaki
  2. Japanese First Secretary Keiichi Kosaki
  3. Norman W. Grant – Chairman of the JCEA
  4. Lorna Lewis – Secretary of the JCEA
  5. Brian Lyn – Treasurer of the JCEA

For further information please do not hesitate to contact Norman Grant at 876-469-3242 or email ngrant@mbcfcoffee.com or any member of the Jamaica Coffee Exporters Association.

Yours faithfully,
Jamaica Coffee Exporters Association

Norman Washington Grant OD, JP-1876-469-3242
President
Email: ngrant@mbcfcoffee.com