Jamaica
In 1981, the UCC Group broke new ground in the Japan coffee industry when it established a directly-managed coffee estate in the western Blue Mountain area of Jamaica, located at an elevation of 800–900 meters. The project faced countless difficulties, from natural disasters like massive hurricanes and drought to cultural differences leading to strikes and other challenges, but we weathered them all thanks to our steadfast commitment to working with the land and the local people.
The UCC Blue Mountain Coffee Estate struggles with labor shortages along with rising fertilizer and pesticide costs. We must take action if we are to overcome these challenges and establish sustainable operations, with a focus on addressing labor shortages and boosting productivity.
Below are some of the efforts currently underway at our directly-managed estate in Jamaica.
Nature
In 2020, we began a large-scale estate renovation project at our directly-managed Jamaican coffee estate. The Blue Mountain area has long been plagued by flagging productivity due to a host of factors, among them aging coffee trees, rising fertilizer costs, and repeated hurricane damage—difficulties that have impacted the whole country. Putting productivity improvement tools in place as part of a pilot estate renovation project at the UCC Blue Mountain Coffee Estate is a way for us to share our operational knowledge and experience with the entire Blue Mountain region.
Address labor shortages by using drones to fertilize and manage the estate
We have begun a detailed investigation of our estate in the hopes of improving the diversity of the soil microbiome. The best soil for growing crops has a balanced population of various bacteria, molds, and other microorganisms along with soil fauna, rather than trending heavily towards any one species. Unbalanced populations lead to infertile soil, which in turn can accelerate the spread of certain kinds of diseases. We are currently measuring the balance of soil bacteria and mold at the UCC Blue Mountain Coffee Estate and steadily taking steps to reach optimum levels based on our analysis results.
Improving soil balance on the estate will make our coffee trees more resistant to disease and help them absorb nutrients more readily, which will in turn positively impact productivity. We also plan to further improve the soil in a way that is ideally suited to the Blue Mountain region.
People
We have been holding quality contests in Jamaica since 2014 with the aim of motivating producers and improving coffee quality across the region.
In addition to aroma, entries have been evaluated on estate sustainability metrics since 2021, among them traceability, management, environmental, and social factors—giving us an opportunity to raise producer awareness of sustainable cultivation practices.
Our Jamaican quality contests also feature performances from local schoolchildren, event-wide reggae singalongs, and traditional cuisine, creating a festive atmosphere for connection and exchange that strengthens ties and gives the whole community something to look forward to.
Jamaican government officials and dignitaries from the Japanese embassy are also invited in the hopes of deepening ties between our two countries.
