KINGSTON, Jamaica — A shortage of essential farm produce continues to affect the prices of vegetables and fruits in markets across the island since Hurricane Beryl inflicted a damaging $4.73 billion blow to the country’s agricultural sector.

When Observer Online visited the downtown Kingston Coronation Market this week, vendors were out in their numbers selling fresh imported produce, but shoppers were few and far between.

Princess, a popular fruit and vegetable vendor in the market, shared with our team that local suppliers are still suffering from shortages, forcing vendors to turn to imported produce to sell to consumers.

“Well, nothing nuh deh a Jamaica, so we have to import goods fi a sell now, which is a better quality—it’s cheaper than the local ones too,” she told Observer Online.

Still, this has resulted in a spike in prices, but according to Princess, prices have stabilised in the market compared to previous weeks.

“The prices ah go down now cause likkle local a come in likkle likkle like carrot come back in, sweet pepper a come in. Only tomato—we nuh have no tomato yet… The price stable right now cause we a get the goods dem at one price. Unless dem raise it, then we haffi raise it,” Princess explained.

Agriculture Minister Floyd Green said in July that Hurricane Beryl had spared little in its path, with 40,000 farmers losing approximately 18,700 hectares of vegetable crops, at a loss of about $1.95 billion.

Crops most significantly impacted included sweet pepper, tomato, lettuce, cabbage, carrots, and vine crops like melon and cantaloupe.

In the market this week, tomato was going for $700-$800, sweet pepper $700-$800, lettuce $500, cabbage $250, carrots $200, and watermelon $220. Notably, Scotch bonnet pepper was being sold for $1,200 per pound, ginger for $700, and scallion for $300.

Richie, a lettuce and pak choi vendor, noted that the prices had impacted customer numbers, which he said have decreased since the passage of the category 4 hurricane.

“Less people come here cause dem seh the market dear, but you still have to spend, no matter what,” Richie told Observer Online.

“Market good you know. Unuh just waah deh here fi buy and just come back come shop at market… Just spend what you can buy. If you used to come and buy a pound, you buy a half-pound. If you used to come and buy two pounds, you buy one pound. Market cheap,” he added.

But for shoppers who have to bear the brunt of the cost, it is never that simple.

Speaking with Observer Online, frequent shopper Jehan White said prices had gone up significantly, and in some cases, she could not find local everyday cooking necessities.

“They’re [market prices] definitely higher, significantly, especially some of the main local products, if you want local things. So, for instance, local tomatoes, cauliflower—we had for a little while and it’s imported—so it’s been a challenge, absolutely. Local corn, a lot of the prices have gone up,” White said.

She continued, “I think the vendors have absolutely tried to keep the prices as low as they can, but the reality is that the things that we need for kind of our every day delicious foods, such as escallion and stuff, they’re just not as available, and so as a result, the prices have definitely shifted up.”

However, for weekly shopper Yvonne, the prices had improved compared to last week’s grocery expenses.

“The prices are very high cause tomato is $800 a pound, you have sweet pepper for $800, Irish potato is for $250, sweet potato is for $400, so I gather that is very high… (But), last week was the highest cause last week tomato was going for $1,000, lettuce was going for $1,000, so it’s a little bit lower today compared to last week,” Yvonne told Observer Online.