MAROON TOWN, St James — Stunned by the trail of destruction Hurricane Beryl carved out in St James Southern, widely regarded as the breadbasket of the parish, Member of Parliament Homer Davis has promised support to farmers struggling to recover.

“They can rest assured that I will have to work with them to make sure that I put them back on their feet. It is important because we feed the people of St James from upper St James here,” he said during a tour of the constituency Monday.

He promised to arrange a visit by Agriculture Minister Floyd Green to assess the extent of the damage.

“I am going to be inviting my minister to come on tour and see some of the devastation in southern St James. But I can tell you, rest assured you have an MP that cares and you have an MP that will work with you,” Davis, who is also a minister of state in the Office of the Prime Minister, told farmers.

“Southern St James is the breadbasket of St James. The food that sell at Charles Gordon Market, most of it come from up here. From my observation, them get a hard beating. I see acres and acres of banana field flattened. I see breadfruit trees ripped apart; coconut [trees] ripped apart, pear trees… everything just shake off. I see cash crop just lie down on the ground. I see yam that is on stick just lean down on the ground. And you know that when that happens and the root of the yam is jerked then you get blighted right there,” he added.

In Trelawny Southern — which is famous for the cultivation of yellow yam — Opposition People’s National Party standard-bearer Paul Patmore has already written to Green asking for the Government’s help to lighten the load of farmers who, he said, sustained astronomical losses.

“I am writing to you on behalf of the farmers of South Trelawny who have suffered devastating losses to their yam crops during the passing of Hurricane Beryl. The impact of this natural disaster has been severe, leaving many farmers in a state of distress and uncertainty about their future,” Patmore said in a letter, a copy of which was obtained by the Jamaica Observer.

“It is crucial that immediate assistance is provided to these farmers to help them recover from this significant setback. As you are well aware, yam cultivation is a vital source of income and sustenance for many families in the region, and the destruction caused by Hurricane Beryl has placed their livelihoods at risk,” he added.

Patmore argued that the plight of farmers in Trelawny Southern has been exacerbated by the absence of a parliamentary representative to lobby on their behalf since Marisa Dalrymple-Philibert retired last September.

“This lack of representation has left the community vulnerable and without a strong voice to advocate for their needs and concerns,” he maintained.

“I urge you to take swift action to support the farmers of South Trelawny during this difficult time. They are in urgent need of assistance to replant their crops, repair damaged infrastructure, and regain their economic stability. Your intervention and support can make a significant difference in helping these farmers recover and rebuild their lives,” Patmore added.