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Stakeholders For The Following Regulated Agricultural Commodities Cocoa, Coconut, Coffee And Spices

As of January 1, 2018 Coffee Industry Board, Cocoa Industry Board, the regulatory functions of the Coconut Industry Board and the export division of The Ministry Of Industry, Commerce, Agriculture & Fisheries, (MICAF) have been subsumed into the new statutory body, JACRA.

As of June 1, 2019, JACRA will be accepting applications for new licenses for the following commodities (coffee, cocoa, coconut, spices, trade mark user and foreign importer).  

Application forms can be obtained here or the legal department of Jamaica Agricultural Commodities Regulatory Authority (JACRA)

Coffee Fest 2019

The Jamaica Agricultural Commodities Regulatory Authority (JACRA) joins the Tourism Enhancement Fund in promoting the second Jamaica Blue Mountain Coffee Festival.

The event is to be held March 1 to 3, 2019. On day one come visit with us at the University of Technology (UTECH) and hear presentations on:

  • What we do to produce this special coffee
  • The importance of varieties in the quality profile
  • The art of coffee tasting among other presentations

On day two come travel with us to the cool hills of Newcastle and witness coffee brewing and taste the various styles of coffee on display.

On day three come get to know where your favourite coffee is produced as we travel the coffee trails.

JACRA: Working to standardize, promote and protect our brands.

Specialty Coffee Association (SCA) Coffee Expo 2019

The Jamaica Agricultural Commodities Regulatory Authority (JACRA) goes on the road to promote Jamaica’s coffee at the Specialty Coffee Expo to be held in Boston, USA from April 11 to 14, 2019.

The event which will be hosted by the Specialty Coffee Association will see JACRA collaborating with JAMPRO and the Jamaica Coffee Exporters Association (JCEA) to highlight the intrinsic quality features of Jamaica and one of its best known beverage experience “Coffee”, the Jamaica Blue Mountain and Jamaica High Mountain experiences.

Come visit us and experience the clean, floral flavour of the word’s renowned Jamaica Blue Mountain coffee as well as our culture, music and the warmth of our people.

JACRA: Working to standardize, promote and protect our brands.

Jamaica Blue Mountain Coffee Day

In commemoration of the first large shipment of coffee beans to Japan on January 9, 1967, the Association of Japanese Importers of Jamaican Coffee (AJIJC) has made a motion to the Japanese Government to celebrate January 9th of each year as ‘Jamaica Blue Mountain Coffee Day’. This motion has been sanctioned by the Japanese Government with the first such celebration to commence on January 9, 2019.
 
In celebration of this auspicious day, JACRA has formed a collaborative bond with Jamaica Promotions (JAMPRO) and the Jamaica Coffee Exporters Association (JCEA) to have a series of promotional activities in support of the event. Some of the activities leading up to the day includes radio and television Interviews, press conference/launch, newspaper publications and establishing a presence at both the Norman Manley and Sangster International Airports on January 9, 2019.
We therefore urge all citizens of Jamaica to enjoy a cup of Jamaican Blue Mountain Coffee on January 9, 2019.
 

Hansen Out As Agricultural Commodities Boss

Everton Hansen is out as director general of the Jamaica Agricultural Commodities Regulatory Authority.

The Gleaner understands that the decision was announced during an emergency board meeting at the authority’ office, 1 Willie Henry Drive off Marcus Garvey Drive in Kingston on Monday evening.

The Board of Directors of the regulatory authority has declined to confirm Hansen’s departure.

However, it is reported that the board found his management style incompatible with its vision for the organisation.

Hansen had served a probation period of two months.

Meanwhile, in the interim, Gusland McCook, who acted as director general before Hansen’s appointment, will retake the reins of the organisation.

– Christopher Serju

Source: The Jamaica Gleaner, http://jamaica-gleaner.com/article/news/20180604/hansen-out-agricultural-commodities-boss

Statement on the Jamaica Agricultural Commodities Regulatory Authority JACRA

The Ministry of Industry, Commerce, Agriculture and Fisheries (MICAF) has taken note of recent adverse comments regarding the Jamaica Agricultural Commodities Regulatory Authority (JACRA), an agency of the Ministry.

These concerns have been expressed by some members of the manufacturing and commercial sector and the Jamaica Chamber of Commerce and have been published in sections of the media.

In light of these concerns and JACRA’s very important role in promoting and regulating the trade environment for the named commodities, the Ministry is taking particular care and due diligence in examining the issues raised.

To this end, the Honourable Minister has assigned a working group to carefully assess and review all aspects of the JACRA Act and its Regulations as well as the concerns raised.

This review is scheduled to be completed soon and, at that time, the Ministry will provide a comprehensive statement on the matter.

 

Source: Ministry of Industry, Commerce, Agriculture and Fisheries (MICAF), http://www.miic.gov.jm/content/statement-jamaica-agricultural-commodities-regulatory-authority-jacra

Pandohie Quits JACRA – Urges Urgent Changes To Regulatory Body

Chief executive officer of the Seprod Group Richard Pandohie has quit as chairman of the Jamaica Agricultural Commodities Regulatory Authority (JACRA).

According to Pandohie, his decision was prompted by a perceived conflict of interest, given the impasse between the Government and the Coconut Industry Board (CIB) over ownership of the 31.65 per cent of shares it has in the manufacturing entity.

The 163,420,345 shares make the CIB the second-largest shareholder in the Seprod Group after the Mussons Group, which holds a 40 per cent stake.

“I have resigned. I sent the letter to the minister a week ago,” Pandohie told The Sunday Gleaner, following his public disclosure to the annual general meeting of the CIB at the Jamaica Conference Centre, downtown Kingston, yesterday.

“Even if it (the conflict of interest) is not real, it is perceived, and I think there is an opportunity now to put somebody there who will not have any noise around them.”

Umbrella Board

He applauded the concept of having one umbrella agriculture board with a mandate to drive the growth of the industry after years of decline.

But Pandohie charged that JACRA, as is now laid out, is flawed.

“It is far from being operational, and in fact, if left in its current form, that would be a deterrent to the farmers and the farming community. The idea of separating the commercial functions from the regulatory has merit, but JACRA is going to need to take on a lot more than that.

“The concept is sound, but it needs a lot of work to get it operational, and from a regulatory aspect, I hope they find somebody really good who has some time and experience in regulations. But regulation is not my forte. If you ask me to grow ‘suppen’ or add value to ‘suppen’ that’s okay, but I’m not a regulatory guy,” said Pandohie.

christopher.serju@gleanerjm.com

Source: Sunday Gleaner, http://jamaica-gleaner.com/article/lead-stories/20180506/pandohie-quits-jacra-urges-urgent-changes-regulatory-body

Jamaica Agricultural Commodities Regulatory Authority Not Quite Open For Business

Applications opened on Tuesday, April 3, for licences to deal in coffee, cocoa, coconut, and spices, the commodities whose regulatory functions have been incorporated under the Jamaica Agricultural Commodities Regulatory Authority (JACRA), but the new entity is not quite open for business.

In a print advertisement published on Sunday, March 25, JACRA invited applications for new licences, the forms for which can be accessed via the website, www.jacra.org, or from the legal department at the offices at 1 Willie Henry Drive, Kingston 11.

However, up to Thursday night when The Gleaner checked the website, ‘Coffee’ was the only division for which there was any information available.

‘No Content’ was posted for the ‘Cocoa’, ‘Coconut’ and ‘Spices and Condiments’ divisions while, despite a wealth of information about coffee, some of which was dated, there was nothing about the other crops.

The website included a picture of former Acting Chief Executive Officer Gusland McCook, who has since reverted to his substantive post as head of the advisory division, with the appointment of Everton Hanson to head the new entity.

There is no information about the new executive, with Derrick Kellier, whose tenure as agriculture minister ended with the ouster of the People’s National Party from Government on February 25, 2016, the only featured portfolio minister.

Also prominently displayed is a warning about fraudulent activities regarding the usage of several fake email addresses of Coffee Industry Board (CIB) workers and other stakeholders. A prompt, advising users to ‘Click for Details’, leads to an advisory from management that the matter is being currently investigated. However, checks by The Gleaner found that the matter is an old issue from 2016 and is a relic from the old CIB website. And when we visited the CIB offices at 1 Willie Henry Drive – where the staff of the new entity will be housed, with the exception of coconut – there was JACRA branding to identify the building.

Staff retained from the old Cocoa Industry Board and Pimento warehouse, which were located on Marcus Garvey Drive, will operate from this location when JACRA finally gets going. The Coconut Industry Board will continue to operate the relevant licensing regime for that commodity from its office and research department at 18 Waterloo Road, St Andrew.

Source: Jamaica Gleaner, http://jamaica-gleaner.com/article/news/20180407/jamaica-agricultural-commodities-regulatory-authority-not-quite-open-business

Everton Hanson Appointed Director General of JACRA

Former CEO of the World Bank’s Caribbean Climate Innovation Centre Everton Hanson has been appointed the first Director General of the recently established Jamaica Agricultural Commodities Regulatory Authority-JACRA effective April 3, 2018.

With over twenty-five years experience in general and financial management, agriculture, environmental matters, and entrepreneurship, Hanson was the favorite from among several other candidates vying for the top post to guide the establishment of JACRA which comprised the merger of coffee, coconut, cocoa and the island’s major commodity boards.

His educational background includes an Associate of Science degree in general agriculture from the former Jamaica School of Agriculture, a Bachelor of Science Degree in Agriculture from the University of the West Indies, an MBA in Finance from Georgia State University, Adanta, USA and a Certificate in Project Finance from Harvard University, USA.

A first-class manager, a dynamic team leader with sharp critical thinking and problem-solving abilities, Hanson is also a Certified Public Accountant (CPA).

National People’s Co-operative Bank of Jamaica Limited, a financial institution that focuses primarily on the agricultural sector.

 

Source: The Agriculturalist, www.theagriculturalist.com

Commodities Regulator To Start Processing Licences April 1

Jamaica Agricultural Commodities Regulatory Authority (JACRA) under whose umbrella the commodity boards have been merged, will start accepting licensing applications on April 1.

JACRA, which combines the regulatory functions of the Coffee Industry Board, The Cocoa, Coconut Industry Bard, and the Export Division of the Ministry of Industry, Commerce, Agriculture & Fisheries, became a statutory body on January 1. Its new CEO, Everton Hanson, will take up office on Monday, April 1, said JACRA Chairman Richard Pandohie.

Under the new regime for commodities boards, the Government is divesting its ownership of assets and largely exiting the commercial side of the markets. JACRA will operate exclusively as a regulator and inspectorate.

Licences which commercial processors and growers will be able to apply for are those relating to coffee, cocoa, coconut and spices.

Under the new law that consolidated the agricultural commodities sector, persons producing for themselves and their household at levels “too small for commercial significance” will not need a licence. Commercial operators are expected to disclose all crop sources on applying for licence.

However, commercial growers, or those who plan to trade in the commodities, will now have to be licensed, and those without permits may face up to five years in prison and fines ranging up to $5 million.

Commercial quantity is defined differently for individual crops under the law, but ranges in quantities of 25 kilograms to 400 kilograms.

In late 2017, commodities merger consultant Dr Garnet Brown said the new licensing regime is meant to act as a check on agricultural theft, or predial larceny, and will be used as an avenue to police product standards now that the Government is exiting the commercial side of agriculture and leaving it to private operators.

The former law governing the cocoa trade was silent on quantities regarded as commercial or non-commercial, while the law that created the Jamaica Agricultural Commodities Regulatory Authority defines commercial quantities as anything over 100 kilograms or 50 trees under cultivation.

For other crops covered by the JACRA Act, the quantities are defined as: 50 coffee trees, 25 kilograms of cherry coffee; 80 coconut trees, 8,000 coconuts; 1 hectare of ginger, 400 kilograms; 30 nutmeg trees, 300 kilograms; 50 pimento trees, 25 kilograms; and 1 hectare of turmeric, 300 kilograms.

JACRA also aims to regulate a category called ‘oil-producing items’, including almond, avocado, castor bean, cocoa, groundnut, linseed, maize germs, nutmeg, oil palm, olives, palm kernel, rapeseed, safflower, sesame, shea nut, soya bean and sunflower seed.

Unlicensed operators will face a fine of $3 million or one-year prison time, or both. For some offences, the recommended time in prison is five years under the JACRA law.

In granting licences to growers, JACRA will consider factors such as geographical location of the cultivation, bankruptcy, and conviction for fraud or other offences in the last three years. The same applies to companies, which will be a refused a licence if they are insolvent, or cannot pinpoint the geographical location where cultivation will occur.

Misrepresenting the location of a farm carries a penalty of $3 million and/or three years’ imprisonment for the farmer. Companies will be fined $5 million for the same offence.

Aside from licensing, it will be JACRA’s job to set and police minimum standards for “quality” regarding cultivation, trade, export, import and distribution of agricultural commodities, storage, warehousing, hygiene, quality assurance, and more.

 

avia.collinder@gleanerjm.com

Source: Jamaica Gleaner, http://jamaica-gleaner.com/article/business/20180329/commodities-regulator-start-processing-licences-april-1