The Blue Mountain brand will remain the property of the Coffee Industry Board, government officials have said in reassurance to dampen sector concerns that the planned divestment of Wallenford could include the world famous coffee name.

Donovan Stanberry, the Permanent Secretary in the Agriculture and Land Ministry, said the sale would only apply to the commercial assets of the Wallenford Coffee Company, which is 100per cent owned by the Government.

"In keeping with our focus on regulation, the Coffee Industry Board (CIB) retains worldwide ownership of the intellectual property rights to Jamaica Blue Mountain and Jamaica High Mountain (brands) and operates a licensing regime which allows for the exploitation of these rights for the benefit of coffee growers and stakeholders," Stanberry said via a letter to this newspaper.

Blue Mountain is of increasing value to Jamaica, but that worth in a dollar value equivalent has never be been attempted, or even considered to now, according to CIB Director General Graham Dunkley.

No reference to brand

The sparse CIB accounts published annually by the Finance Ministry makes no reference to the brand on its balance sheet, not even an assumed value.

In his post-Budget presentation to Parliament on April 18, minister Roger Clarke announced that the production and marketing assets of the coffee industry through privatisation at a date to be revealed later.

It is Clarke's reference to marketing assets that generated concerns from coffee growers and other coffee interests that the Blue Mountain brand, which is well recognised and highly sought after in the international market, would also be divested.

But Stanberry was clear that was not the case.

In fact, a study to be commissioned by the ministry on the coffee sector and its ills will, among other things, review the operational performance of the CIB specifically in relation to the protection of the integrity of Blue Mountain coffee; and the development and growing of lowland coffee.

The study will also determine the penetration of varieties other than Arabica typica, and their impact or likely impact on the brand.

On Thursday, Graham said, following the Financial Gleaner query on the brand's value that he would consider adding the valuation to the terms of reference.

Wallenford's coffee is grown at elevations of 2,000 to 5,000 feet.

john.myers@gleanerjm.com