By Lynford Simpson, Staff Reporter
Sheila Rigg and Jermaine Brown, members of the Ministry of Labour and Social Security's parish co-ordination team, yesterday examine the large deposit of sand and stone which cover this four-bedroom house in Somerset, St. Thomas. - Norman Grindley /Staff Photographer
PRELIMINARY ESTIMATES for crop damage and livestock loss following eight days of heavy rain have been put at $435 million by the Rural Agricultural Development Authority (RADA).
This is in addition to $44 million in damage to farm and Parish Council roads, bringing the total to $479 million, Albert Shand, executive director of RADA, told The Gleaner yesterday.
He stressed that the near half-a-billion dollar figure could rise significantly as RADA personnel had not yet visited many agricultural areas. Additionally, the extent of the loss suffered by cane farmers was difficult to determine.
"It (the figure) is really just a rough estimate as RADA officers still can't reach some places," Mr. Shand said. "This is because flood waters have not yet receded, and the bad road conditions", he added.
RADA has put crop damage at $352 million, and livestock losses at $83 million. Some 13,000 farmers in most parishes have been affected, with Clarendon being hardest hit. Clarendon farmers have suffered crop damage to the tune of $180 million and $61 million for livestock. They are followed by their colleagues in St. Elizabeth, who have lost $49 million in crops and $11 million in livestock.
In St. Catherine, $25 million in crop damage and $3 million for livestock losses have been reported. Farmers in St. Ann have lost $22 million in crops and $858,000 in livestock. Some poultry farmers were completely wiped out as more than 357,000 chickens perished in the flood waters. Pig farmers are also among those counting their losses as the rushing waters drowned many of their animals.
Also affected were fish farmers on the St. Catherine plains and in Clarendon. Mr. Shand said that many fish ponds overflowed during the torrential rains.
Many vegetable farmers in St. Catherine will have to start over as their entire crop including callaloo, lettuce, and sweet and hot peppers were wiped out. Banana cultivations in several parishes were devastated by the flood rains and landslides.
