JP Farms has suffered significant damage to its Annotto Bay banana and plantain farms in St Mary, following the passage of Hurricane Melissa.

Initial assessments indicate that the powerful category five hurricane inflicted comprehensive damage, resulting in an estimated loss of close to 100 per cent across the banana and plantain farms. However, the company did not provide a dollar value for the losses.

While the parish of St Mary did not experience a direct hit from the hurricane, the prolonged high winds from the outer bands of the system flattened crops that were still in recovery following the impact of Hurricane Beryl in 2024.

This makes the second consecutive year that the 90-year-old farming operation has been impacted by a major weather system. 

Despite the magnitude of the damage, Pan Jamaica Group has confirmed its immediate plan to inject the necessary capital for the recovery of the farms. This commitment follows a J$250 million investment made by the group in 2024 to restart production and return the business to profitability after Hurricane Beryl. 

“Pan Jamaica’s investment in JP Farms is driven by a long-term commitment to Jamaica’s agricultural industry and the parish of St. Mary,” affirmed Jeffrey Hall, vice chairman and CEO of Pan Jamaica Group.

Recognising JP Farms’ role as a major employer in St Mary, Hall noted that the company is committed to maintaining employment and benefits for its team members during the low production recovery period. 

“The social return of ensuring the stability and livelihood for over 200 families in the parish while providing Jamaicans with locally grown fresh produce, for us, helps to justify the inherent challenges that come with operating in the agricultural sector in Jamaica,” he explained.

Climate resilience and research

Even amidst the devastation, the farming company’s focus on climate resilience was delivering results. 

“We did find somewhat of a silver lining,” shared Mario Figueroa, general manager of JP Farms. 

“An experimental plot of a more wind-resistant banana plant variety that we were testing in partnership with the Bodles Agriculture Research Station sustained noticeably less structural damage than the rest of the banana farm. While still affected, this confirms that we are on the right track toward adopting more robust varieties.”

Focusing on climate resilience is supported by the farm’s ongoing development of its pineapple farm. JP Farms is now a market leader in this crop, which is less susceptible to hurricane and wind damage.

The farming business is actively leveraging such research, alongside pre-hurricane mitigation strategies, such as field sanitation and specific pruning techniques, that have proven to be crucial for accelerating regrowth after severe weather events. This combined approach is designed to shorten the recovery cycle following future adverse weather conditions.

JP Farms estimates a six-month timeline for full recovery and the return of its produce to consumer shelves. 

Notwithstanding the impact of Hurricane Melissa on JP Farms, Pan Jamaica Group is expected to continue to deliver strong overall profit performance and to maintain a strong balance sheet.