Cocoa Production to Rebound for 2026/2027 Crop Year

The Jamaica Agricultural Commodities Regulatory Authority (JACRA) says cocoa production is expected to bounce back for the 2026/2027 crop period, which begins this October and runs through to September of next year.

The positive outlook is based on the significant investment in recovery efforts through the provision of seedlings, fertilisers and technical support after the passage of Hurricane Melissa.

Addressing a recent JIS Think Thank, Acting Senior Director for Cocoa and Coconut at JACRA, Chevonne Aschute, informed that the entity has spent approximately $34 million to assist with the rehabilitation of the sector.

“These trees require a certain kind of nutrition and assistance. Two of the problems that we currently have in Jamaica is that of black pod rot and frosty pod rot and so, while we are supporting these farmers with nutritional support, we also have to support them with fungicide support,” he pointed out.

He noted that farmers have also provided with rodenticide to combat rat infestation and protect crops, and assistance to aid the recovery of trees.

“Through our Work Initiative Programme and our Loaner 2 Programme, JACRA would have assisted farmers in the pruning, clearing of these trees and, of course, would have given farmers the relevant advice to ensure that the trees are taken care of properly,” he pointed out.

Mr. Aschute said that while cocoa is considered a resilience crop, “we have to ensure that we assist the tree and not allow nature alone to do the work. And so, we would have shown farmers how to do the proper pruning techniques and how to remove the damaged limbs to ensure that these plants heal”.

He told JIS News that these efforts, along with the fact that the damage was not the same throughout the island, will enable a quick rebound of the sector.

“And so, local chocolatiers can look forward to that increase in cocoa,” Mr. Aschute said.