AGRICULTURE Minister Floyd Green on Tuesday laid bare a staggering bill of $29.5 billion worth of devastation to the sector from Hurricane Melissa, describing scenes of ruin “beyond living memory”. But he has declared with firm resolve that the recovery for thousands of farmers has already begun.

In a sobering statement to the Houses of Parliament, Green revealed that the Category 5 hurricane, which made landfall on October 28, has affected some 41,390 hectares of farmland and impacted more than 70,000 farmers across the nation’s most productive parishes.

The minister reported widespread losses, including the destruction of 32,400 hectares of vegetable lines, the decimation of banana and plantain crops, and the death of an estimated 1.25 million animals, from poultry and cattle to small ruminants. The fisheries sector, he added, suffered an additional $5.76 billion in damage, with 25 per cent of the national fishing fleet – approximately 3,289 vessels – being damaged or destroyed.

“The recovery starts now,” Green declared, asserting that “we shall rise again”. He stated that the “indomitable spirit of our farmers and fishers gives me hope” as they are determined to rebuild. To that end, he announced the immediate reactivation of the Agricultural Disaster Recovery Task Force and that approximately $450 million from the remaining Production Incentive Programme is being redirected to emergency recovery.

The detailed breakdown of crop losses showed devastating blows to key food lines, with “sweet pepper, tomato, lettuce, cabbage, carrot and vine crops like melon and cantaloupe” suffering a significant blow. The poultry sector was “severely hit, with 458,000 layers and 780,000 broilers lost”, while critical infrastructure, including “337.2 km of farm roads”, was also damaged.

To stabilise the nation’s food supply in the immediate term, the minister outlined urgent temporary measures. “We are facilitating emergency importation of selected fruits and vegetables,” he said, listing key items like tomato, lettuce, and cabbage. He also announced the “importation of chicken leg quarters, fish and table eggs from approved markets under strict veterinary controls,” assuring that these measures “are temporary and will be phased down as local production rebounds”.

On the ground, the minister said the production restart is already underway. “We are rapidly distributing seeds, fertilisers and other critical inputs to affected farmers,” Green told the House. A key part of the strategy is to “focus early planting in the least-affected areas, especially Eastern Jamaica and our agro-parks to feed the nation now”. This will be led by the Agro-Investment Corporation with an initial wave of planting, including “200 acres of sweet pepper, 150 acres of cassava, 150 acres of sweet potato, 200 acres of open-field vegetables, 150 acres of hot pepper, and 150 acres of scallion.”

Support for the fisheries sector is also a priority, with actions designed “to get fishing communities back to sea quickly and safely”. These include efforts to “reopen beach access by clearing debris”, and “repair damaged vessels by providing tools and materials, including fibreglass, resin, and associated hardware”.

For livestock farmers, the ministry’s Veterinary Services Division has moved “to stabilise animal health, protect the national herd and reduce further loss”. A structural animal health recovery programme is being rolled out, which includes the “distribution of essential veterinary supplies” and “provision of key medications”.

Looking ahead, Minister Green emphasised the duty “to reduce risk as much as possible”. In the medium term, the focus will be on “implementing climate-smart agricultural practices” and “improving spatial planning and resilience of infrastructure”.

He concluded with a powerful call to action, stating, “We shall rise again.” He urged private sector partners “to stay the course”, and acknowledged the farmers of the east, whose “hard work will carry the nation for now”. Despite the devastation, he affirmed, “Our sectors are bent, not broken.”

GREEN…the indomitable spirit of our farmers and fishers gives me hope (Photo: Joseph Wellington)