Gov't plans to use technology to track authentic Blue Mountain Coffee

By Halshane Burke    

 

The government has announced plans to make greater use of technology in the production and export of Blue Mountain Coffee.

 

Agriculture and Fisheries Minister Floyd Green says the use of technology will make it easier to trace the origins of the coffee.

 

This, he says, will ensure the authenticity of coffee which claims to be from the Blue Mountain region.

 

"We have people who all over the world are saying that they are provided Blue Mountain Coffee, which is in fact counterfeit and not true Blue Mountain Coffee. Clearly, that not only threatens our bottom line, but that threatens the quality that people have associated with Blue Mountain Coffee," the minister noted. 

 

"We're going to be using blockchain technology to attach a QR code to every batch of Blue Mountain Coffee that leaves the farm, so that when you buy Blue Mountain Coffee anywhere in the world, you will be able to scan that QR code and it will tell you that this is authentic Jamaican Blue Mountain Coffee. And it will go further to tell you where it was found, who found it, when was it reaped, when did it come into JACRA, when did it leave, so you can trace every ounce of Blue Mountain Coffee," he announced. 

 

Mr. Green was speaking Thursday at the launch of Jamaica Blue Mountain Coffee Day.