Over 630 hectares of crops replanted since Hurricane Beryl

Over 630 hectares or 1,557 acres of farmland have been replanted with seeds to replenish agricultural stock destroyed by Hurricane Beryl in July, Minister of Agriculture Floyd Green has disclosed.

The crops replanted include cabbage, tomato, lettuce, carrot, sweet pepper, cucumber and watermelon.

Green made the disclosure at Wednesday's post-Cabinet press briefing.

The destruction to some of the island's main farming areas by the hurricane saw prices for vegetables  skyrocket.

Last weekend, however, a shopper in Ocho Rios reported to The Gleaner that she has noticed a reduction in tomato prices, enabling her to purchase a small amount.

Green said the Government's efforts, supported by the private sector, have seen hundreds of farmers getting assistance under a recovery programme that is aimed at getting the agriculture sector back to normal as quickly as possible.

So far, nearly $900 million has been expended through the Rural Agricultural Development Authority (RADA), the National Fisheries Authority and other agencies.

“Thus far we have been able to reach 14,370 farmers from the parishes of St Elizabeth, Manchester, Clarendon, St Catherine, Westmoreland, Trelawny and St Ann; those have directly benefited from our recovery efforts,” Green said.

The minister said that, in total, recovery efforts have already impacted over 15,000 farmers with over 10,000 packs of seeds and 6,500 bags of fertiliser supplied.

- Carl Gilchrist

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