Agriculture State Minister Franklin Witter is encouraging young people to invest in the coffee and cocoa production.

He was speaking at the International Coffee and National Cocoa Day celebration at Emancipation Park in Kingston yesterday.

Coffee and cocoa farmers, processors and exporters gathered and attended the event.

Mr. Witter, while urging young people to join the industry, underscored that agriculture is more than just farming.

He noted that while Jamaica’s coffee and cocoa products hold strong potential for further global expansion, the sectors continue to grapple with serious challenges, including climate change and crop diseases such as coffee leaf rust and frosty pod rot, the latter posing a critical threat to cocoa production.

Mr. Witter added that many farmers still struggle with access to affordable inputs, while long-standing issues such as land tenure limit investment in long-term farming.

On the global stage, he said buyers are demanding higher levels of traceability, certification and quality assurance.

He noted however, that the Agriculture Ministry, through key agencies like the Jamaica Agricultural Commodities Regulatory Authority (JACRA) is actively implementing measures to protect, restore and expand the coffee and cocoa industries.

In the meantime, he encouraged processors to maintain good quality within the industry.