Agriculture Minister Karl Samuda has announced that regulations are now in place to ensure that all coffee imported, packaged and sold locally, will be mixed with Jamaican green beans.

The ministry says the objective of this measure is to boost the expansion of Jamaican coffee and eventually eliminate the importation of green beans.

According to Mr. Samuda, when persons import coffee, mix it with cheap imported beans and sell that product to hotels, as coffee that is processed and packaged in Jamaica, it cheapens and destroys the reputation of the Jamaican coffee brand.

The Agriculture Minister made the announcement yesterday while addressing farmers at the inaugural coffee industry symposium at the Chinese benevolent association.

The Coffee Industry Amendment Regulations 2017 came into effect on November 15 this year.

Under these regulations, all imported coffee that is packaged and sold in Jamaica must include at least 20 per cent Jamaican coffee.

Mr. Samuda who has been encouraging coffee farmers to increase their productivity, said the regulations should serve as encouragement to produce more high mountain coffee.

The Agriculture Minister also warned against breaching the regulations, which come with hefty fines or a term of imprisonment.