JP Farms ahead of schedule with banana farm resuscitation

JP Farms is reporting that its banana farm recovery programme is progressing faster than anticipated following the devastating impact of Hurricane Beryl. The category-four hurricane caused extensive damage to Jamaica’s largest banana farm, resulting in a projected revenue loss of approximately $600 million.

Hurricane Beryl caused significant banana and plantain crop loss and infrastructure damage at JP Farms. Despite these challenges, the recovery programme, which involves multiple stages such as the removal of toppled plants and replanting uprooted plants - referred to as the chopback phase - has been carried out with exceptional efficiency.

Weed control, disease management, and repairs to damaged drainage, cableways, and the underground irrigation systems, have continued seamlessly, ensuring that normal farming practices remain on track.

The chopback phase, initially scheduled for eight weeks, was finished in just four weeks after the hurricane, across over 280 acres of the banana farm. The farm now reports that it is in the final phases of its recovery programme to return to normal operations. This advanced resuscitation effort means that JP bananas will return to supermarket shelves in late January 2025, about five weeks earlier than the original projection.

Mario Figueroa, general manager at JP Farms, attributes the quick recovery to the dedication of the farm team and good field practices ahead of the hurricane that resulted in more resilient plants.

“Rehabilitation work began just one day after the hurricane, driven by the team’s dedication and commitment to recovery. Many of us, including myself, were without electricity or running water at home, but that didn’t deter our efforts. For several weeks after the hurricane, the farm office became a hub, with every charging port occupied by phones and laptops charging, and workers filling up on drinking water to take home,” Figueroa said.

He further reported that JP Farms has spent over $2.5 million to date on repairing housing and providing building materials, water tanks and solar lights to aid in home repair efforts for members of the farm team who received more extensive damage.

Emphasising the team’s commitment to the resuscitation programme, Carlton Benjamin, one of the supervisors on the ground in St Mary noted that some farm duties have also shifted, with packhouse workers volunteering to work in the fields to speed up the recovery of bunches and the replanting of viable plants.

Oral Lewis, coordinator of extension services at The Banana Board of Jamaica, commended JP Farms for their quick progress.

“JP Farms was one of 79 farmers registered with the Banana Industry Catastrophic Fund. JP Farms has been a part of the fund since inception. The fund was able to subsidise relief materials for farmers, but in JP Farms’ case, the subsidy amounts to just three per cent of the total cost of rehabilitation,” Lewis stated.

Since the passage of Hurricane Beryl, JP Farms has also implemented measures to increase the resilience of its farm. These include reinforcing drainage, planting more windbreaks, and replanting shorter varieties of bananas that can better withstand high winds.

Meanwhile, the JP Farms’ pineapple business was relatively unaffected by the hurricane, thanks to its location and the resilience of the crop. This allowed for the farm to maintain its pineapple supply while focusing on the banana recovery efforts. JP Farms remains committed to strengthening local agriculture and supporting the communities, setting a benchmark for sustainable agricultural recovery in the region.