JAMAICANS should be able to find most local agricultural produce at the usual prices in the markets this Christmas, but bananas and plantains could be missing.

Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries Floyd Green told a post-Cabinet media briefing on Wednesday that following the devastation to the agricultural sector in July the island is returning quickly to pre-Hurricane Beryl production levels, and this should result in a surge in supply from various production areas.

“Christmas is on the horizon and that is when we have a significant hike in [demand for] all sorts of food items. Based on what we are seeing now, based on the pace of the recovery, based on the support we have provided, we do expect that we will have a good Christmas.

“We do expect that we will have adequate supplies in terms of our vegetable lines, and we are working with our chicken farmers to try to ensure that we build back that domestic, local, small chicken producers segment. We are also starting our distribution of pullets that are layer chickens so that we can build back our eggs sector so that, come Christmas, we all will have a merry Christmas,” said Green.

He noted that the banana and plantain sector was severely damaged by Beryl, with approximately 64 per cent of the crops in production affected, and it will take between seven to nine months to return to a level or normality.

“Our banana and plantains sector will not rebound until seven months from July — so next year February or thereabout — and that is just the reality,” added Green who was providing additional details to a statement he made in the House of Representatives on Tuesday.

He had told the House that through the decisive action of the Government and the resilience of Jamaica’s farmers and fishers, the country is well on the road to recovery after the devastation caused by Hurricane Beryl.

“Having stood in fields that were once barren, seeing them now green and growing once again is a testament to the resilience of our farmers and the quick action of our teams. Through coordinated land preparation and the timely distribution of planting materials we have given our farmers a fighting chance to rebuild their livelihoods,” said Green.

“I have spoken with farmers who were unsure if they would ever be able to plant again, and now— thanks to the seeds, fertilisers, and technical support provided — they are back on their feet.

“These efforts have already begun to bear fruit, and last week we saw the re-emergence of some of our local vegetable lines from some of our hard-hit areas. We expect agricultural production in the affected areas to reach or even surpass pre-hurricane levels within the next six to 18 months,” added Green.

He announced in Parliament that the Government was able to allocate an additional $1.4 billion towards the Hurricane Beryl Recovery Programme.

“To date, almost $900 million has been allocated through the Rural Agricultural Development Authority [RADA] to execute this programme. These funds have been directed toward critical activities including providing seeds, fertilisers, livestock, infrastructure rehabilitation, and technical assistance to farmers,” said Green.