Jamaica to import eggs, select fruits and vegetables amid devastation caused to agriculture by Melissa

Agriculture Minister Floyd Green says Jamaica will have to turn to external sources to fill anticipated gaps in critical food items such as eggs, fruits, and vegetables in the coming months.

Green told Parliament on Tuesday that the agriculture sector has been severely affected by Hurricane Melissa, informing that the up-to-date assessments have put the financial loss at $29.5 billion.

Giving a breakdown, he said approximately 41,390 hectares of farmland have been affected, impacting over 70,000 farmers, with approximately 1,250,000 animals, including small ruminants, poultry, and cattle, being lost due to the hurricane.

Green said domestic crops saw losses of approximately 32,400 hectares of vegetable lines, with damages estimated at J$8.8 billion, affecting 47,500 farmers.

Crops that were most significantly impacted are sweet pepper, tomato, lettuce, cabbage, and carrot.

Vine crops like melon and cantaloupe also suffered a significant blow.

Banana and plantain crops, covering 2,450 hectares, have losses estimated at J$2.9 billion, impacting 2,760 farmers.

Fruit trees, covering 1,870 hectares, have damages estimated at J$337 million, affecting 4,500 farmers.

Tuber crops such as yams and cassava, covering 4,670 hectares, have losses estimated at J$4.5 billion, impacting 6,120 farmers.

Coffee has sustained a 40% damage to trees with a 40 – 45% loss of production, at an estimated value of J$800 million.

Turning to the poultry sector, the agriculture minister said the industry lost 458,000 layers, which is more than 50% of the country’s laying flock, and 780,000 broilers, totalling over 1.2 million chickens, amounting to J$2 billion in damages.

Further, Green said Jamaica has lost 3,560 small ruminants, 5,600 pigs, and 2,850 cattle, with combined losses of J$3.1 billion.

Regarding the apiculture sector, so far, over 2,000 bee colonies, amounting to J$74.5 million in damages, have been lost.

Given this reality, Green said external sources will have to be tapped to ensure Jamaica’s food security.

He noted that, coming out of an egg production meeting, the agriculture ministry will have to take immediate action to facilitate the importation of table eggs.

Green further said that the ministry is closely monitoring the country’s protein supply, and where necessary, will take the appropriate action to fill the identified gaps.

Additionally, to stabilise supply and protect household food security, he said external sources will be tapped for selected fruits and vegetables such as tomato, lettuce, cabbage, sweet pepper, carrot and papaya, based on dietary importance, stock levels and anticipated gaps over the next two months.

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