The Coffee Industry Board (CIB) says it has detected some $300,000 of illicit coffee on the market in recent weeks, being retailed without the required permit.

"We have found at least two companies importing coffee without the requisite permit," said Christopher Gentles, director general of the Coffee Industry Board.

"Investigations are still ongoing, so we cannot release the names," he said. "We have to do the due diligence."

Gentles said later that the brands included Folgers and Café La Llave.

Cases detected

The CIB director general said seven to 10 cases of illicit coffee have been detected and taken off the market, but adds that some had got on to retail shelves.

The board subsequently put out a public notice saying that despite warnings and advisories being issued directly to retail establishment by the CIB, the practice has continued unabated, and advising that traders of coffee had to be licensed by the CIB.

Operations at some major Kingston retail outlet resulted in seizure of several items, the board said.

Import permits are granted by the Ministry of Agriculture.

The 1966 import prohibition coffee order requires that the ministry grant the permit before importation of either parchment, green/clean, roasted or soluble coffee.

As regulator of the coffee industry, it is the responsibility of the CIB to make the recommendations for the permits.

Currently, Salada is the only company with a permit to import coffee into the island.

There are other companies such as Nestlé which bring in the powdered instant form, which according to the ministry does not require permit for importation.

sabrina.gordon@gleanerjm.com