Drought dampens crop output

Christopher Serju, Gleaner Writer

The lag effect of the recent drought on the agricultural sector is being reflected in crop-production figures for the second quarter of the year, which saw a 1.4 per cent decline in cash-crop production and five per cent in the overall figures for produce, against the corresponding period for 2009.

The figure for the quarter ending June was 121,109.9 tonnes, down from 122,859.3 tonnes on the previous year.

Agriculture and Fisheries Minister Dr Christopher Tufton lamented that the decline occurred during a period when there was an increase in acreage under cultivation.

"Even though there was a four per cent increase in the crop area reaped, yields were lower, and that is a direct result of the drought ... .

"We have had the most severe drought in the last two decades, and as you know, we have had about seven or eight successive quarters of growth, and up to the last quarter, we were still in positive territory, but this one just past dipped below into negative territory," he told The Gleaner at the Denbigh Agricultural and Industrial Show yesterday.

Good news, bad news

When production figures for all crops were taken into account, the decline moved to five per cent, with sugar cane, which saw a 25.4 per cent fall-off, being the major contributor.

However, the minister said that in addition to the drought, sugar cane had also been affected by the late crop start, as a result of the late receipt of the US$15 million Eridania fund.

Legume production fell by 24 per cent and potato by 11 per cent.

Overall, the worst-affected parishes were Manchester, where the overall decline was 17 per cent; Clarendon, nine per cent; and St Elizabeth, five per cent.

However, it was not all negative news for the sector, as St Mary recorded a whopping 77 per cent increase in production, with Irish potato accounting for most of the improvement; Hanover, 29 per cent; while Portland saw an 18 per cent increase. Yams did well in Trelawny, where the improvement was recorded at 18 per cent.

Crops such as sorrel saw a 77 per cent improvement in production, while plantains recorded, 19 per cent boost and yams, 27 per cent.

"We have to do more in terms of irrigation," the minister said.

He said it was instructive that while Portland and St Mary, the parishes which enjoy the highest annual average rainfall across the island, recorded increases, the worst-affected parish was Manchester, where cultivation has been affected by low or, in some cases, no water.

"In the areas where you had water, things went okay. Where you had no water, you saw what happened, and we are hoping that now that we have had the rains, with the crops going into the fields, the next quarter will be better.

The Government, said Tufton, will be looking to fast-track irrigation systems, with the proposed Food and Agriculture Organisation rainwater-harvesting system given priority.