Jamaica Agricultural Commodities Regulatory Authority

What Jamaica Agricultural Commodities Regulatory Authority does

Jamaica Agricultural Commodities Regulatory Authority (JACRA) is a statutory regulatory body established on January 1, 2018, under Jamaica's Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Mining pursuant to the JACRA Act of 2017. It was formed by consolidating the Coffee Industry Board, Cocoa Industry Board, the regulatory functions of the Coconut Industry Board, and the Ministry's Export Division into a single unified regulator. JACRA licenses and monitors all stakeholders engaged in regulated commodity activities—including dealers, processors, manufacturers, exporters, importers, nursery operators, and trademark users—across coffee, cocoa, coconut, and spices (pimento, nutmeg, ginger, turmeric), and enforces compliance with fines of J$100,000–J$3 million plus potential imprisonment. The Authority holds ISO 9001:2015 certification covering all operations and supports approximately 4,000 coffee farmers through input distribution and training programs.

JACRA generates revenue primarily through licensing fees (currently 50% reduced since April 2020 as pandemic relief and never reversed), per-application import/export permits at J$2,500, trademark licensing via its wholly owned subsidiary Coffee Marks Limited—which owns the Jamaica Blue Mountain® and Jamaican High Mountain Supreme® marks and charges US$500–$1,000 per annum—and cess administration on specified imports and exports. It oversees roughly 170 active licensees. Jamaica's regulated coffee industry earns over US$25 million in annual export revenue, with 70% of coffee exports going to Japan, 20% to the US, and 10% to other markets; pimento accounts for ~90% of the spices division's operations.

Operational infrastructure includes a newly opened 1,000+ square meter temperature- and humidity-controlled coffee warehouse with on-site cupping laboratory (June 2025, $32M+ investment) and a blockchain-enabled Verified & True (V&T) traceability platform developed with Agrodise Limited that allows international consumers to authenticate product origin via QR codes. JACRA's partner ecosystem includes IFC (farm registration database), World Coffee Research and PROMECAFE (25-variety coffee assessment), IICA and Purdue University (Coffee Leaf Rust early warning), University of the West Indies (pesticide residue analysis), and ACDI/VOCA on the USDA Food for Progress JaSPICE project targeting 7,500 spice-sector farmers and market actors.

Name

Jamaica Agricultural Commodities Regulatory Authority

Legal name

Jamaica Agricultural Commodities Regulatory Authority

Website

https://www.jacra.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2017

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Jamaica Agricultural Commodities Regulatory Authority (JACRA) is a statutory body under Jamaica's Ministry of Agriculture that licenses, certifies, and regulates coffee, cocoa, coconut, and spices industry stakeholders, while owning and licensing the Jamaica Blue Mountain® and High Mountain Supreme® trademarks via Coffee Marks Limited.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Agricultural Commodity Regulation

NAICS

Regulation of Agricultural Marketing and Commodities (92614), Regulation of Agricultural Marketing and Commodities (926140)

akta.pro primary industry

Geographic Indication & Origin/Authenticity Certification (PDO/PGI, Country-of-Origin) (AFALAMAJ)

akta.pro secondary industries

Certification Program Administration & Scheme Management (Standard Owners) (AFALACAC), Supplier Approval, Verification & Food Safety Risk Management (GFSI-aligned) (AFALADAH), Fair Trade & Ethical Supply Chains (Certification, Traceability, Producer Support) (BPAGALAL)

Keywords

• Agricultural commodity regulation
• Coffee industry licensing
• Cocoa certification services
• Spice trade regulation
• Commodity quality assurance

Headquarters

HQ city

Kingston

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Licensing Fees: JACRA generates revenue through licensing fees charged to dealers, processors, manufacturers, exporters, importers, nursery operators, and trademark users. Licenses are valid for three years. Fees were reduced by 50% in April 2020 as pandemic relief and have remained at that level. Fee categories include Coffee Dealers License (J$100,000/annum adjusted), Cocoa Dealers License (J$50,000/annum adjusted), Spice Export License (J$34,000/annum adjusted), and Foreign Importer License (US$500/annum adjusted).
2. Import/Export Permits: Fees charged for each specific import or export permit application for regulated commodities. Import permits are J$2,500 per application. Permits are required for each individual transaction.
3. Trademark Licensing: Coffee Marks Limited, a wholly owned subsidiary of JACRA, owns and licenses the Jamaica Blue Mountain and Jamaican High Mountain Supreme trademarks. Trademark User Licenses are US$1,000 per annum (adjusted rate) and Sub-Licenses are US$500 per annum (adjusted rate).
4. Cess Administration: Collection and administration of cess charged on imports and exports of specified products and substitutes, as approved by Parliament and the Portfolio Minister.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Jamaica Agricultural Commodities Regulatory Authority (JACRA) is a statutory body established on January 1, 2018 under the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Mining that regulates, licenses, and certifies stakeholders across Jamaica's coffee, cocoa, coconut, and spices value chains. It issues licenses, sets and enforces quality standards, administers the industry cess, manages the Blue Mountain and Jamaica High Mountain coffee trademarks through its subsidiary Coffee Marks Limited, and operates a coffee quality-testing warehouse and traceability platform. JACRA's core customers are licensed dealers, processors, exporters, importers, brokers, and farmers operating in these commodity industries.

Product overview

JACRA operates as a regulatory authority overseeing seven agricultural commodities: Coffee, Cocoa, Coconut, Pimento, Nutmeg, Ginger, and Turmeric. The organization provides a unified portfolio of regulatory services including licensing and monitoring of industry stakeholders, quality certification, trademark management (via subsidiary Coffee Marks Limited for Jamaica Blue Mountain® and Jamaica High Mountain Supreme® brands), cess administration, and training/advisory services. JACRA also operates the V&T blockchain-enabled traceability platform for supply chain verification and a modern coffee warehouse facility with quality testing capabilities. The core offering is regulatory compliance and quality assurance rather than a traditional product platform.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Cess Administration
• Training and Advisory Services
• V&T Blockchain Traceability Platform
• Coffee Warehouse and Quality Testing Facility
• Certification Services
• Quality Assurance
• Coffee Marks Limited Trademark Management
• Licensing Services

Quantifiable outcome

• Coffee exports contribute over US$25 million annually to the Jamaican economy
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability2 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

22 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• ACDI/VOCAcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024JACRA leads the U.S. Department of Agriculture Food for Progress Jamaica Spices (JaSPICE) project in partnership with ACDI/VOCA. The project aims to revitalize the spice sector to meet existing export and domestic demand for turmeric, ginger, and pimento. Through an integrated market systems and ecosystem-based landscape approach, the project supports 7,500 farmers and market systems actors.
• Agrodise LimitedcoreTechnology or IntegrationJACRA partnered with Agrodise Limited to develop and deliver the Verified & True (V&T) blockchain-enabled traceability platform. The platform will enable end-to-end traceability for Jamaican agricultural commodities including coffee, cocoa, coconut, and spices. Agrodise's Christopher Reckord stated the goal is to help Jamaica's agricultural sector thrive by providing tools to protect its products, farmers, and future.
• Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and MiningcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJACRA is a statutory body under the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Mining. The Authority collaborates with the Ministry on policy development, the V&T blockchain platform initiative, farmer support programs, and regulatory oversight of Jamaica's agricultural commodities sector.
• World Coffee ResearchcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWorld Coffee Research funded the variety assessment/improvement project involving approximately 25 coffee varieties cultivated in Jamaica and other coffee-producing countries for assessment of adaptability, disease resistance, and cup characteristics. JACRA conducts variety trials on farms in both Blue Mountain and Jamaica High Mountain regions.
• PROMECAFE (Regional Cooperative Program for the Technological Development and Modernization of Coffee Cultivation)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPROMECAFE funded the variety assessment/improvement project for coffee varieties in Jamaica. JACRA collaborates with PROCAFECAFE on variety trials and the Regional Coffee Leaf Rust Early Warning System project.
• Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIICA collaborates with JACRA on combating Coffee Leaf Rust disease and the Regional Coffee Leaf Rust Early Warning System project. IICA also partners on the frosty pod rot disease response and various agricultural development initiatives.
• Jamaica Coffee Exporters Association (JCEA)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorJCEA is a key stakeholder partner in the coffee industry, collaborating with JACRA on the farm registration project and other industry initiatives. JCEA President Norman Grant welcomed the new JACRA coffee warehouse as a game-changing addition.
• Jamaica Coffee Growers Association (JCGA)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorJCGA is a key stakeholder partner in the coffee industry, working with JACRA on various coffee sector initiatives and programs.
• University of the West Indies (UWI)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUWI Mona's Chemistry Department provides pesticide residue analysis for green coffee bean exports, testing for minimum residue levels. UWI also collaborates on the Regional Coffee Leaf Rust Early Warning System project.
• Meteorological Service of JamaicaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborates with JACRA on the Early Warning System project to provide forecasted climate information to coffee farmers and extension personnel for quick agronomic responses.
• University of ArizonaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartners with JACRA on the Early Warning System project to provide forecasted climate information to farmers.
• University of ColombiaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartners with JACRA on the Early Warning System project to provide forecasted climate information to farmers.
• University of PurdueminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborates with JACRA on activities to combat Coffee Leaf Rust disease.
• Hi-ProminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAgricultural input supplier partnering with JACRA under the Crop Restoration and Expansion Programme (CREP) to provide supplies including fertilizers, herbicides, and other inputs to coffee farmers.
• Newport-Fersan (Jamaica) LimitedminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAgricultural input supplier partnering with JACRA under CREP to provide fertilizers and other inputs to coffee farmers.
• Caribbean Chemicals Jamaica LimitedminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAgricultural input supplier partnering with JACRA under CREP to provide chemical inputs to coffee farmers.
• St. Jago Farm and Hardware StoreminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAgricultural input supplier partnering with JACRA under CREP to provide supplies to coffee farmers.
• Rural Agricultural Development Agency (RADA)coreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerRADA spearheads the Frosty Pod Rot (FPR) Eradication Program for cocoa in Jamaica. JACRA collaborates with RADA on combating this devastating cocoa disease.
• JAMPRO Trade & Investment JamaicacoreGTM or Marketing PartnerJACRA collaborates with JAMPRO on promotional activities for Jamaica Blue Mountain Coffee Day and other marketing initiatives to promote Jamaican agricultural commodities internationally.
• Bureau of Standards Jamaica (BSJ)minorOthersJACRA links to BSJ as a related government agency for standards and compliance.
• International Coffee Organization (ICO)minorOthersJACRA maintains links to ICO. Jamaica participates in ICO as a member country and is ranked 45th in world coffee production.
• International Cocoa Organisation (ICCO)minorOthersJamaica is a member of ICCO. As a member, Jamaica is recognized as one of the eleven countries producing fine or flavoured cocoa, and one of the seven exclusive producers.

Scale indicators12 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD): Ghana's national cocoa regulatory authority with similar statutory powers to license, certify, and quality-control cocoa exports. Highly comparable to JACRA's Cocoa Division in mandate and structure.
• Coffee Board of India: India's statutory national coffee regulatory body overseeing licensing, quality standards, and export promotion. Directly comparable to JACRA's Coffee Division in regulatory function and international market development.
• Conseil Café Cacao (Côte d'Ivoire): Ivorian regulatory authority for coffee and cocoa, responsible for licensing, quality control, and export oversight of the world's largest cocoa producer. Closely matches JACRA's combined coffee/cocoa regulatory scope.
• Federación Nacional de Cafeteros de Colombia (FNC): Colombia's national coffee federation combining producer representation with regulatory, quality, and trademark (Juan Valdez) functions. Highly comparable hybrid model to JACRA's licensing-plus-trademark structure.
• Ethiopian Coffee and Tea Authority: Ethiopia's national authority overseeing coffee and tea licensing, quality standards, and export regulation. Comparable to JACRA in mandate scope and in managing origin-based coffee (Ethiopian Yirgacheffe/Blue Mountain parallel).

Broad incumbents

• Specialty Coffee Association (SCA): Global industry association setting specialty coffee standards, training, and events. Adjacent to JACRA's regulatory function, with overlapping concerns on quality standards, certification, and industry development.

Others

• International Cocoa Organization (ICCO): International intergovernmental body overseeing global cocoa agreements and recognizing fine/flavoured cocoa origins. JACRA participates as a member; ICCO's recognition underpins JACRA's premium positioning for Jamaican fine cocoa.
• Rainforest Alliance: Global sustainability certification body operating in coffee, cocoa, and spices. Comparable to JACRA's certification work but focused on sustainability criteria rather than origin verification.
• Fairtrade International: Global ethical sourcing certification organization for coffee, cocoa, and other commodities. Adjacent to JACRA's ethical sourcing and farmer support functions, though operating under a private multi-stakeholder model.

Regional players

• Hawaii Department of Agriculture (Coffee): Regulates Hawaii-grown coffee including the Kona coffee geographic indication. Comparable in function (origin-based certification, quality standards) but geographically distinct from JACRA's Jamaican jurisdiction.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/jacra2018
• Facebookfacebook.com/profile.php
• Instagraminstagram.com/jacraofficial
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/jamaica-agricultural-commodities-regulatory-authority

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles16 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Jamaica Agricultural Commodities Regulatory Authority