Beryl’s billion-dollar blow
St Elizabeth farmers recount wipeout of farms, loss of livestock
Published:Wednesday | July 10, 2024 | 12:06 AMRuddy Mathison/Gleaner Writer
FARMERS IN southern St Elizabeth are still reeling from the devastating effects of Hurricane Beryl, which, according to assessments from the ministry, have caused upwards of $1 billion worth of damage to the island’s agricultural sector.
Among the hardest hit was Kevin Blackwood, a seasoned farmer from Flagaman district, who saw nearly $1 million worth of crops destroyed just weeks before harvest.
“I never expect this at all. I was sceptical whether it would really come, but the breeze come with a force and destroy the whole of mi watermelon, honeydew, cantaloupe, and mix vegetable crops,” Blackwood told The Gleaner last Friday. “To make things worse, it pick up my roof and fling it weh.”
Blackwood, who has been farming since he was 19 years old, was just three weeks away from reaping his one-acre fruit and vegetable crop. Now, he is staying with relatives and is faced with the daunting task of replacing his roof before even thinking about restoring his farm.
“But, to replace the roof and set up back the farm is a tall order. Mi can’t do both at the same time,” he pointed out.
He expressed hope, however, for assistance, stating, “Any form of help from the authorities would be very welcome at this time.”
Clinton Powell, a farmer from Bull Savannah in the parish, also suffered severe losses. His entire half-acre of watermelons was blown into a nearby gully. The hurricane storm tore off his roof and claimed five goats from his livestock.
“The breeze blow all the melon in the gully near the farm. It treat me rough, everything blow in the gully. I lose more than $250,000 in earnings,” Powell said.
With a young daughter to care for, Powell now aims to restart, if he can secure some help.
“At this stage, I can only hope for the best, to see if I can come up with some more watermelon seeds and get some help to start over,” he shared.
ISLANDWIDE ASSESSMENT
Kurt Ebanks, another affected farmer, recounted the unexpected force of the winds.
“The strength that I heard it was coming with, I braced myself to take a big loss. I not only lose my entire watermelon crop but three goats as well from my goat farm,” he disclosed.
Despite the heavy losses, Ebanks remains hopeful for government assistance.
“I only hope that the Ministry of Agriculture will reach out to the farmers on the southside soon, because we need help. I have to try again. I will recover if I have life,” he acknowledged.
Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries Floyd Green meanwhile emphasised the need for immediate support.
He noted that an islandwide assessment is underway to determine the damage and outline a response plan. “What we want is for our farmers to get back to active production as soon as possible. However, their first point of contact is RADA (Rural Agricultural Development Authority),” Green stressed.
He continued: “We are crafting a more comprehensive response but, in the meantime, we will meet with farmers to assess their immediate needs to get back to active production.”
He confirmed that southside farmers have been particularly hard hit, with significant losses in both livestock and poultry.
According to Green, more time is needed to determine the extent of the fallout in production.