2021 Jamaica Blue Mountain No.1 Coffee Beans Expected to Decrease Production by Over 50% Compared to Same Period

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Natural Disasters Impacting Jamaica's Blue Mountain Coffee Production

From late October last year until now, Jamaica has been battered by wave after wave of natural disasters, leaving devastation in their wake. Houses, roads, farmlands, and plants have all been affected to varying degrees. The Blue Mountain range—home to the renowned Blue Mountain coffee growing region—has experienced multiple landslides and road damage. A series of torrential downpours have knocked coffee cherries to the ground. The famous Wallenford Estate, which cultivates Blue Mountain coffee, has indicated that the reduction in Blue Mountain coffee bean production for 2021 may exceed 50%.

What Natural Disasters Has Jamaica Endured Since Late October Last Year?

Late October 2020 - Tropical Storm Zeta

Tropical Storm Zeta struck Jamaica in late October 2020. The heavy rains brought by the storm triggered flash floods in the St. Andrew parish, home to the famous Blue Mountain coffee region. Severe landslides caused extensive damage to roads.

Early November 2020 - Hurricane Eta

As if one disaster wasn't enough, Hurricane Eta began striking Central America, with Jamaica once again feeling the effects. Although the hurricane did not directly hit Jamaica, the heavy rains it brought caused widespread dropping and knocking down of red cherries that should have been harvested in November. Combined with road collapses caused by flash floods, farmers were unable to enter the growing areas for large-scale harvesting, only able to salvage what mature fruit remained on the trees as best they could. Wallenford Estate had previously stated that these two storms would lead to a 15-20% reduction in Blue Mountain coffee production.

Early November 2020 - 3.4 Magnitude Earthquake in St. Thomas

One wave hadn't even subsided when another rose! Amid the continuous heavy rains, a 3.4 magnitude earthquake struck St. Thomas, Jamaica, affecting an area within 7 kilometers. For the already damaged mountains and roads, this was essentially adding fuel to the fire.

April 2021 - Volcanic Eruption on St. Vincent Island

As Jamaica was still recovering from a series of natural disasters, a Caribbean earthquake caused the highest peak on St. Vincent Island, La Soufrière volcano, to begin erupting. Volcanic ash extended to parts of Jamaica and South America. While this volcanic ash did not cause significant damage within Jamaica, it could affect human respiratory tracts. Therefore, after the volcanic eruption, road restoration work was delayed, and the roads leading to the Blue Mountain coffee region had not yet returned to complete normalcy.

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