THE Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Mining has allocated $700 million as an immediate response to help farmers recover from the passage of Hurricane Beryl, which impacted the island on July 3.

Portfolio Minister Floyd Green said this initial tranche of support will be used to purchase critical items urgently needed to help farmers rebuild their operations and do infrastructure repairs.

The minister added that the funds will be disbursed through the Rural Agricultural Development Authority (RADA), Jamaica Agricultural Society (JAS), Agro Investment Corporation (AIC), and Members of Parliament.

“The allocation includes $210 million, which will focus on crop recovery. We will allocate $90 million to our vegetable lines, $40 million towards our banana and plantain farmers, and $80 million towards other crops, especially yam and our coffee farmers,” Green said.

“In relation to livestock… we are allocating $60 million to help them [our small poultry farmers] rebuild their enterprise. We are not only allocating in relation to the provision of livestock, a number of farmers lost their infrastructure. As such, we are allocating $26 million towards the rebuilding of livestock infrastructure,” he added.

Green said an initial sum of $29 million will be allocated to the fisheries sector, $30 million will be allocated for fertiliser support, $55 million for infrastructure support, $20 million for irrigation, $50 million for land preparation and clearance, and $70 million for farm road rehabilitation.

He noted that $150 million will be allocated through Members of Parliament, which will be prorated based on the level of damage in each constituency.