The Editor, Sir:

In the years 2000 and 2001, the Ministry of Agriculture, through the Coffee Industry Board (CIB), decided to lease the coffee farms previously operated by the CIB to a group of individuals.

These farms were abandoned for over three years before the option for lease was available. All factors being well, this lease agreement would have been productive for both parties involved. However, the farmers had many obstacles as it has become a trend for Jamaica to suffer hurricane damage from 2002 to present.

The other part of the lease agreement, which is proving very ridiculous now, is that the coffee must be sold to CIB Commercial, now Wallenford, which has been experiencing financial difficulties for the past three years. Therefore, no inputs can be obtained from Wallenford on credit or otherwise and in some cases payment to farmers are delayed also.

Coffee farmers' plight

Since the passage of Tropical Storm Gustav, the minister of agriculture has made mention of the banana industry, the sugar cane, vegetables, etc, but not the coffee farmers and although the lease farmers have appealed for a revisit of their lease arrangement, this seems to fall upon deaf ears. The CIB wants to collect the equivalent of five boxes of coffee per acre for lease.

The farms went under during the CIB management, so how come the Ministry of Agriculture is asking for its 'pound of flesh'? Who will come to our rescue?

We are, etc.,

SUFFERING FARMERS