Rayon DyerBlack River:
VETERAN FARMER Maisie Campbell, of Flagaman, south east St. Elizabeth, says that the current drought in the area has reached crisis proportions. She said that the farmers in the community were having it very hard because of the water shortage.
Speaking in an interview with Farmers Weekly on Friday, Mrs. Campbell said that most of her crops, which includes watermelon, sweet peppers and tomatoes, were suffering because there is little or no water to keep them going.
"We just have to keep on producing in the limited way we have been doing because, if we go big, we are bound to fail due to the constant water problem in south St. Elizabeth," she said. "When the drought is on like it is now we have to buy water directly from the National Water Commission, or its sub-agency the Rapid Response Unit."
"If we don't get some rain soon the farmers in the area will be in for a rough time, because most of them cannot afford to buy water. The cheapest source of water now is the Rapid Response Unit and that is between $2,000 and $4,000," said another farmer Marcel Ebanks.
He also said that the time has come for the irrigation system to be expanded to their community so that farmers can benefit.
According to Mrs Campbell, she had to carry water for her farm, when it is available, from a far distance. She said that the average water bill for a farmer in any given month is $10,000.
However, speaking at a recent People's National Party (PNP) political meeting Minister of Water & Housing, Donald Buchanan, said that some $500 million will be spent to expand the Pedro Plains irrigation system over the next few months, to benefit the areas such as Flagaman, Southfield, Seaview and Little Park.
