Ministry digs to get agri sector back on track
Published:Thursday | October 7, 2010 | 12:00 AM
Nadisha Hunter, Gleaner Writer
The agriculture sector has been adversely affected by the torrential rainfall that lashed the island last week, according to a government report on the damage.
However, the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries has committed to assisting critical groups to quickly get back on track.
Agriculture Minister Dr Chris-topher Tufton said yesterday that the damage caused would bring about serious challenges for small farmers, who were badly affected by the disaster.
Tufton was addressing a press conference held at the ministry's Hope Gardens, St Andrew, offices, and convened to give an assessment of damage to the sector and the Government's efforts at restoration.
More than 15,000 farmers across the country were severely affected by the intense rainfall, with much of the damage occurring in St Elizabeth, Clarendon, St Mary, Portland and Westmoreland.
From preliminary estimates, the minister said the sector suffered more than $500 million in crop and livestock losses. Damage to farm road infrastructure has also been estimated at $500 million.
"We had approximately 30 greenhouses being affected at an estimated loss of some $12 million," Tufton said. "In terms of poultry, the estimates suggested that the backyard chicken operators lost approximately 150,000 birds during those two days as a consequence of the rain."
Supply concerns
Some 40 per cent of banana production has been affected, as well as crops such as melon, cabbage, lettuce, tomatoes and sweet pepper.
He said he anticipated that there could be supply concerns with the crops affected, but every possible measure was being looked at to ensure there is no prolonged shortage.
The minister disclosed that, as a result, discussions are to start shortly with importers examining measures to counter any potential shortage.
He, however, stressed that farmers should get back into the fields as early as possible to plug the downtime.
He noted that the ministry would be providing technical and financial assistance to farmers to kick- start production in critical areas.
Tufton said the ministry has already started dialogue with donor agencies in order to address the immediate concerns in the sector.
"We are not going to be able to restore people to their original state," the minister warned, in commenting on chicken farmers. "The intention is to recognise cases where they have had extensive and perhaps total loss and to provide them with the small quantity of birds, small quantity of feed, and hopefully they, within their own capacity, can provide the additional funds to expand that number to get them back on track."
He said the Banana Board, through the Catastrophe Fund, would this week determine the level of relief to be given to banana farmers.
Notable crop damage across the island
142 hectares of cabbage
148 hectares of carrot
180 hectares of cucumber
136 hectares of tomatoes
126 hectares of sweet pepper
Assistance to be provided to sector
A grant of $4 million is provided to the Jamaica Greenhouse Growers Association to help with the purchasing of plastic for roofing
Allocation of $12 million to vegetable farmers
Small chicken farmers, who provide some 40 per cent of the market, will be given support with chicks and feed amounting to less than $4 million.