By Monique Hepburn, Staff ReporterFARMERS IN eastern Westmoreland are appealing for relief assistance from the Ministry of Agriculture following the destruction of their crops during Hurricane Ivan.
Known for their production of pineapples, yams, tomatoes, dasheens, cabbage and plantains, the farmers are eager to get their farms going again.
Councillor Luther Buchanan of the Leamington Division in Westmoreland is calling on the Ministry of Agriculture, through the Rural Development Authority (RADA), to come to the aid of farmers in Ashton, Dundee, Kilmarnock, New Roads, Berkshire, Cottage and Cedar Valley in the parish.
"Farming has been devastated in the hills of Westmoreland and they need assistance right now as they are anxious to get back on their feet," Mr. Buchanan said at The Gleaner Editors' Forum in Savanna-la-Mar on Tuesday.
"The feedback I am getting from the community is that they have not been visited by RADA and while I am not in a position to comment on the work that RADA is doing, I can say that the farmers have not yet received any help," said Mr. Buchanan.
WAITING FOR RELIEF
In the short-term, Mr. Buchanan said that farmers are in dire need of seeds, fertiliser, and poultry to get a kick-start.
When The Gleaner contacted the RADA Westmoreland Parish Office Wednesday, manager Alva Clarke explained that assessments were currently being carried out in the parish and that he was awaiting instructions from the Minister of Agriculture on the nature of the relief assistance farmers will receive.
"Our officers have visited eastern Westmoreland and other areas within the parish," Mr. Clarke said. "We are still doing our assessments and when they have been completed the Ministry of Agriculture will give us further instructions."
Egbert Steadman of New Roads in the parish, told The Gleaner Wednesday that he lost plantain, cabbage and sweet yam crops as well as poultry during the hurricane and was appealing for relief assistance.
"In the area we are ready to start again but we really need some help," he said.
Prime Minister P.J. Patterson told Parliament Tuesday that the Government will make $200 million "immediately available" to small farmers "to facilitate the start-up of local vegetables and small stock production and the resumption of the fishing industry."
