PORTLAND, Jamaica — Despite ongoing efforts to salvage what remains after Hurricane Melissa, farmers in Portland are expressing gratitude that the devastation was not worse.

When Observer Online visited Orange Bay in the parish, a father-and-son duo, Dennis and Oral Brown, were busy salvaging coconuts from their farm.

Dennis said they had been working since 7:00 am to gather what they could. His son, Oral, explained that the hurricane wiped out several of their crops, including plantain, jackfruit and avocado trees.

“So now weh we a try do is get the jelly weh leave back off the farm and also the plantain…we nuh have nuh sell for it but you know we trying,” said Oral.

Farming is the Browns’ main source of income, but the family’s earnings have taken a significant hit. They managed to salvage about 500 coconuts, only half of their original target of 1,000, after failing to make any sales the week before.

Oral shared that he plans to sell the coconuts to the pick-up man who did not show up the previous week. The family is pricing coconuts at $10,000 per 100 and plantains at $800 per dozen.

A walk through their property revealed the extent of the damage, including fallen branches, spoiled produce, and damp, slippery soil.

In addition to farming, Dennis also raises goats and hogs.

Despite the losses, Dennis said he was thankful that conditions weren’t worse.

“We still giving thanks for life,” he said.

Over on the border of Portland and St Mary, long-time farmer and fruit vendor Prince Dias faced similar struggles.

“All plantain, all banana flat out. We nuh have no food fi feed people now,” he shared.

Dias, who has been selling his produce for 15 years, estimates it will take nine months to a year to recover fully.

“It ago take a whole bunch of hard work fi get it back,” he said.

For now, Dias is focusing on raising his two goats and, like the Browns, acknowledges that it could have been worse.

— Carlysia Ramdeen