Coffee festival:
Projecting a positive vision
published: Saturday | October 2, 2004

THE JAMAICA Coffee Festival is projecting a positive vision for the coffee industry, come tomorrow at Devon House in St. Andrew. Despite major losses, a significant representation from the sector has reconfirmed its commitment to what will be the first of two major coffee festivals ever to be staged in Jamaica.

INAUGURAL EVENT

Organisers of the event who are working closely with the Coffee Industry Board (CIB) note that the inaugural event is a timely and positive group effort at this time, as the aim is projecting a spirit of hope and solidarity, with coffee farmers as the nation focuses on rebuilding.

Though all have been seriously affected, coffee will recover and prosper, seems to be the positive outlook of the confirmed farmers and roasters, who include Jablum and the Mavis Bank factories, Coffee Industries and their marketing arm, The Coffee Mill, Wallenford Coffee Company, Greenwich Mountain Estate, Blue Mountain Coffee Ventures and Coffee Traders Ltd. Minister of Agriculture Roger Clarke has given his nod as patron, and will officially open the activities at Devon House tomorrow.

The event, which will feature locally produced coffee liqueurs, displays, demonstrations and a range of drinks and foods, is also endorsed by JAMPRO and the Jamaica Agricultural Society. Part proceeds from the festival will be donated to the Jamaica Red Cross for its hurricane relief programme.