MINISTER of Agriculture, Fisheries and Mining Floyd Green says assessments indicate that the agriculture sector incurred losses totalling $4.73 billion from Hurricane Beryl’s passage.

Making a statement in the House of Representatives on July 16, Green said the assessments indicate that 48,852 farmers have been impacted.

He added that approximately 23,040 hectares of farmland have been affected, noting that the sector also suffered the loss of 323,412 animals, including small ruminants, poultry and cattle.

•Domestic crops saw approximately 18,700 hectares of vegetables lost, with damage estimated at about $1.95 billion and affecting 40,000 farmers.

•Crops that were most significantly impacted include sweet pepper, tomato, lettuce, cabbage and carrots, while vine crops like melon [and] cantaloupe suffered a significant blow.

•Banana and plantain crops, covering 1,780 hectares and estimated at about $385 million, were also affected, with 1,640 farmers being impacted.

•Fruit trees suffered a heavy blow as; 890 hectares of fruit trees were damaged, most of them were completely lost, estimated at $337 million-and 1,470 farmers were affected. Tuber crops such as yams and cassava, covering 1,670 hectares, have been lost, impacting 1,120 farmers and estimated at $524 million.

•Small poultry farmers were severely hit, with 43,000 layer birds and 278,000 broilers being lost, amounting to more than $200 million.

•Some 640 bee colonies, amounting to over $12 million in losses, were impacted by the hurricane’s passage.

•A total of 236 greenhouse structures, covering 688,000 square feet, were destroyed at an estimated cost of $856 million.

•As much as 62 kilometres of farm roads have been damaged, with cost for repairs totalling $165 million. Farm buildings also sustained damage, with repairs estimated to cost $85 million.

•Irrigation systems, covering 35 hectares, have been damaged at an estimated cost of $35 million. Damage to National Irrigation Commission’s irrigation network infrastructure, including broken mains and significant loss to renewable energy systems, is estimated at about $400 million.