IAN ALLEN/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
Alvin Trevor Gayle, a St. Elizabeth farmer, showing the roots of some of the burnt-out escallions on his farm in the community of Bull Savanna, St. Elizabeth, yesterday.Robert Lalah and John Myers Jr. Staff Reporters
A SEVERE drought now affecting sections of the island is threatening to disrupt the recovery of the agricultural sector that was severely affected by Hurricane Ivan last September.
"We have very serious drought conditions in about 10 parishes. Agriculture Minister Roger Clarke, told The Gleaner yesterday.
"All these parishes are experiencing negative effects of the drought, but the problem is greatest in St. Elizabeth, Manchester, Westmoreland, parts of St. Ann, parts of St. James, Hanover, St. Andrew, Clarendon and St. Catherine. The problem really spreads across the entire island."
SEVERE DROUGHT
A press release from Harry Douglas, state minister for water and housing yesterday, citing a report from the Meteorological Service, confirmed there was a severe drought in Clarendon and Westmoreland, while normal drought conditions were being experienced in Hanover,
south St. Elizabeth, south Manchester and St. Thomas.
In commenting further, Minister Clarke said it has mostly affected vegetable and root crops. He disclosed that he has been contacted by farmers in St. Elizabeth, where a severe dry spell coupled with a massive bush fire has been raging in the area for the past week and have left farmers in distress.
On Friday, Kingsley Palmer, a vegetable farmer in Malvern, St. Elizabeth told The Gleaner, "We are not getting any rains at the moment so there is a significant decline in yield." He said farmers are now forced to purchase water from the Rapid Response Unit at one dollar per gallon.
PURCHASE WATER
Claude Taylor, another farmer from St. Elizabeth, said the drought was "getting pretty bad (and) to purchase water was "really excessive,
it throws everything off-
balance."
Mr. Palmer, who cultivates mainly carrots, tomatoes and peppers, said he has had to be using mulch to retain the moisture in the soil in order to save his crops.
Donovan Reid, head of
the National Irrigation Commission (NIC), said the commission has not encountered any difficulties supplying water to farmers served by his system. The NIC currently supplies water to 14,000 hectares of farm land in St. Elizabeth, Clarendon, St. Catherine, St. Thomas and Trelawny.
Commenting on the fires raging in the agricultural belt, Minister Clarke noted: "Because of the drought, the place is so dry that fires can be easily started. A person may just throw out a cigarette butt, or people may be burning bush areas and they get out of hand. This is very dangerous to farmers."
However, he said the Ministry of Land and Environment is trying to put plans together, which could include dropping water in
the area.
