Fun facts about International Coffee Day

ACCORDING TO the International Coffee Organization (ICO), the principal intergovernmental organisation for coffee globally, prior to 2014, many of its member countries celebrated their own national coffee day at various dates each year. In March of 2014, however, member states of the ICO agreed to organise a day set aside for the celebration of the diversity, quality and passion of the sector as a commemoration of their love of the beverage and support to the coffee farmers, whose livelihoods depend on the crop.

This day, which has been set as October 1, and was first celebrated in 2015, is seen as an occasion to promote and celebrate coffee as a beverage. Today, member states are joined by dozens of global coffee organisations to celebrate the day in their own way.

As the Jamaica Agricultural Commodities Regulatory Authority (JACRA) joins with other coffee-producing countries in celebrating our coffee farmers, the backbone of the industry, we share with you some fun-filled facts about this wonderful industry and the well-loved beverage, consumed in various forms.

Have fun while having your beverage:

- Coffee cultivation began in the Jamaica Blue Mountain zone in 1728, when the first plants were brought here from Martinique by way of then Governor Sir Nicholas Lawes.

- Those plants were planted in Temple Hall, St Andrew, on one of his many estates.

- Simultaneously, an unknown gentleman brought some berries into the island, also from Martinique.

- Those plants were planted in what was then the parish of Vere.

- The theory is that coffee was discovered by accident when a ninth-century Ethiopian goat herder discovered the berries by accident, after noticing his goats going crazy after eating some berries.

- In the early years, coffee was cultivated on large plantations in Jamaica, with more than 700 plantations in existence at one point in time.

- Coffee production expanded rapidly due to the involvement of Haitians, who were fleeing their country’s revolution, but who also had expertise in coffee cultivation.

- Coffee is the second most traded commodity globally after oil.

- The term ‘barista’, which originated in Italy, is used to describe a person who prepares and serves expresso-based coffee drinks.

- Coffee cup testers are persons who compare and value coffee by its quality through a sensory process of sight, smell, taste, to perceive, analyse and describe.

- The Kopi Luwak coffee out of Indonesia is one of the most expensive coffee in the world. It is uniquely produced by feeding the ripe coffees to the Asian palm civets, small, carnivorous mammals. The beans are then collected from the faeces… yummy!

- Finland is the number one coffee-consuming country in the world with a national average of 26.45 pounds per year per person.

- Canada is the only non-European country in the top 10 consumers per capita category.

Therefore, while you have your favourite cup of coffee, you may want to define your own fun-filled facts for 2022. You never know, we could highlight it in 2023.

Have an enjoyable International Coffee Day!