Damage to agriculture from Beryl now estimated at $4.7 billion

Agriculture Minister Floyd Green has disclosed that the latest assessments have put the financial loss to the agriculture sector from Hurricane Beryl at $4.73 billion.

This is up from an initial damage assessment of $1 billion.

Speaking in the House of Representatives on Tuesday, Green said "The hurricane's wrath spared little in our agricultural sector."

He said approximately 23,040 hectares of farmland has been affected, impacting over 48,852 farmers. The sector also suffered the loss of approximately 323,412 animals, including small ruminants, poultry and cattle.

Green said approximately 11,200 fishers have been affected, most of whom have lost fishing gear in the form of traps and nets estimated at $1 billion.

He said numerous fishing beaches in the most affected parishes have suffered infrastructural damage estimated at J$64 million. The most affected beaches are Old Harbour Bay, St Catherine; Bournemouth and Rocky Point, Clarendon; and Calabash Bay, St Elizabeth.

The total estimated cost for the recovery of public gardens and scenic avenues stands at $31.13 million.

Green said the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Mining has swiftly mobilised resources and formulated an immediate response plan.

He announced a $700 million allocation to provide various forms of short-term assistance to be used to purchase critical items that are urgently needed.

Green said an additional $150 million will be distributed through Members of Parliament and is to be prorated based on the level of damage in the constituency. Those allocations will have to be utilised over the next four weeks and will go through a verification process to ensure that they have in fact suffered damage through Hurricane Beryl.

Meanwhile, Green said the ministry had started procurement early in light of the threat of bad weather and has already purchased $65 million in seeds across various vegetable lines. He said distribution of those inputs will start on Thursday.

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