JDDB donates J$32m to aid dairy sector’s post-Melissa recovery
Published:Saturday | February 28, 2026 | 12:05 AMLeon Jackson/Gleaner Writer
Western Bureau:
The Jamaica Dairy Development Board (JDDB), in keeping with its mandate to assist local cattle farmers in the aftermath of Hurricane Melissa, has donated J$32 million to assist impacted farmers in purchasing materials to rebuild their farms as well as buy generators to facilitate the milking of cows.
According to Devon Sayers, the CEO of the JDDB, the board is committed to fulfilling its mandate to do what it takes to put the sector back on firm footing in the aftermath of the major blow the sector took from Melissa.
“We made a donation of $32 million to farmers who have suffered damage to their farms with the passing of the hurricane,” said Sayers. “This was used by the farmers to purchase materials to reconstruct their farms.”
With most of the farms impacted by the electrical blackout that left many farmers’ communities without electricity for several weeks, Sayer said some of the funding provided was used to purchase generators.
“A crucial purchase was the purchasing of generators, which allowed the farmers to continue milking effectively,” he said, noting that the generators helped the farmers to generate an income during a time of significant scale-down in earnings due to the dislocation caused by the hurricane.
Sayers was particularly pleased that the JDDB’s intervention played a role in keeping the nation’s availability of milk under local control.
“Throughout this period (in the aftermath of the hurricane), there was no importation of liquid milk, albeit we did import some powdered milk and by-products for manufacturers,” he said.
In relation to its future contribution to the sector, Sayers said the JDDB has plans to invest heavily in grass cultivation during 2026, which should serve as a major cost-cutting exercise for the sector.
“We will be embarking aggressively on a national fodder and grass programme this year. The type of grass will not only be resistant to climate change and drought but will also be high yielding,” he said.
In 2025, Jamaica’s annual milk production was in the range of 11 million to 13 million litres. St Thomas was the leading producer with 352,000 litres primarily through the output of Serge Islands Farm Limited. The industry, which says it supports approximately 25,000 dairy cattle, is seeking to double production by 2030.