KINGSTON: The Coffee Industry Board has asked the government to impose a cess on coffee imports to make local coffee farmers more competitive.
Chairman of the Coffee Industry Board, Delano Franklyn says for the last the three years the country has doubled its importation of coffee.
He says initially this was needed to fill the gap in the market due to a falloff in local coffee production.
However, Franklyn now says more needs to be done to protect the interests of local coffee farmers.
The Board Chairman says a proposal has already been made to the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries.
He says if implemented, the Coffee Industry Board will be better able to facilitate the development of the industry.
