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JAM | Jul 17, 2024

Hurricane damage to agricultural sector swells to J$4.73 billion

/ Our Today

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Agriculture Minister Floyd Green inspects damaged tomato crops in St Elizabeth, during an assessment tour of southern Jamaica after the passage of Hurricane Beryl on July 10, 2024. (Photo: Instagram @floydgreenja)

Durrant Pate/Contributor

The damage to Jamaica’s agricultural sector from the July 3 passage of Hurricane Beryl has swelled to J$4.73 billion, up from the initial assessment of just over a billion dollars.

Agriculture Minister of Agriculture Floyd Green, who made the disclosure in Parliament on Tuesday (July 17) also announced an immediate aid package worth J$700 million.

He told the House of Representatives that approximately 23,040 hectares of farmland had been affected, impacting over 48,852 farmers with the loss of approximately 323,412 animals including small ruminants, poultry and cattle. 

Minister Green reported, ”The devastation from Hurricane Beryl to the agriculture and fisheries sector is extensive, affecting several parishes, with the most severely affected being St. Elizabeth, Manchester, Clarendon, Westmoreland, and St. Catherine, representing some of our most productive agricultural zones.”

He said the hurricane’s wrath spared little in the agricultural sector and detailed the extent of the damage done.

Crops

Domestic crops saw Jamaica losing approximately 18,700 hectares of vegetable lines with damages estimated at J$1.95 billion, affecting 40,500 farmers. Crops most significantly impacted include sweet pepper, tomato, lettuce, cabbage and carrot as well as vine crops like melon and cantaloupe.

Banana and plantain crops, covering 1,780 hectares, have losses estimated at $385 million, impacting 1,640 farmers. Fruit trees, covering 890 hectares have damage estimated at $337 million, affecting 1,470 farmers.

Flattened banana plants in St. Elizabeth, demonstrate the devastating effect Hurricane Beryl dealt to Jamaica’s agricultural section on July 3, 2024. (Photo: JIS)

Tuber crops (yams, cassava etc.), covering 1,670 hectares have losses estimated at J$524 million, impacting 1,120 farmers.

Livestock

Jamaican goat rearer Ray Woodson Blake, feeds his animals at a goat farm he works on in Savanna-La-Mar, Westmoreland. Photo taken in September 2011. (Photo: Julia Rendleman for Pulitzer Center)

The poultry sector has been severely hit, with 43,000 layers and 278,000 broilers lost, amounting to J$248 million in damages. Some 980 small ruminants, 514 pigs, and 278 cattle have been lost with combined losses of J$102.5 million.

The apiculture sector has lost 640 bee colonies, amounting to J$12.8 million in damages. 

Infrastructure 

With respect to infrastructure, 236 greenhouses covering 688,000 square feet have been damaged with losses estimated at $856 million. Some  62.8 km of farm roads have been damaged with repair costs estimated at J$165 million. 

Agriculture Minister Floyd Green (white top) inspects a mangled greenhouse during July 10’s assessment tour of southern Jamaica after the passage of Hurricane Beryl. (Photo: Instagram @floydgreenja)

In addition, 217,800 square feet of farm buildings have been damaged with estimated repair costs of J$85 million. On-farm irrigation systems covering 35 hectares have been damaged with repair costs estimated at J$35 million. 

Damage to the National Irrigation Commission’s (NIC’s) network infrastructure is estimated at J$400 million and includes broken mains and downed solar equipment. 

Fisheries sector 

As it regards the fisheries sector, 11,200 fisherfolk have been directly affected, most of whom have lost fishing gear in the form of traps and nets estimated at J$1 billion in losses. Also, numerous fishing beaches in the most affected parishes have suffered infrastructural damage estimated at $64 million.

Immediate Government relief package 

Minister Green announced a drive for the immediate recovery of the sector with the allocation of J$700 million to provide various forms of short-term assistance. This initial tranche will be used to purchase critical items urgently needed and will be disbursed through the Rural Agricultural Development Authority, NIC, Agro-Investment Corporation and the Jamaica Agricultural Society.  

Dr Gilbert Williams, Nutramix veterinarian guides one of the trainees through the process of artificial insemination of cattle during a three-day AI training session held in Kirkvine, Manchester in June 2023.(Photo: Contributed)

The allocation includes crops (J$210 million), vegetables (J$90 million) banana & plantain (J$40 million), other crops (J$80 million) and yam, coffee livestock (J$60 million).

As regards to livestock infrastructure, J$26 million will be going for fisheries, J$29 million for fertilizer, J$30 million for infrastructure (greenhouse), J$55 million for irrigation, J$20 million for land preparation/clearance, J$50 million for farm roads.

An additional J$150 million will be made through Members of Parliament (MPs) and is to be prorated based on the level of damage in the constituency. Those allocations will have to be utilised over the next four weeks and will go through a verification process to ensure that damage is directly attributed to Hurricane Beryl. 

Green explained that his ministry has already started the procurement process early and has already procured J$65 million in seeds across various vegetable lines. Distribution of those inputs will start on Wednesday.

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