Rayon Dyer, Gleaner Writer
Black River, St. Elizabeth:
THE RURAL Agricultural Development Authority (RADA) is reporting that the non-traditional crop of pimento is at an all-time low in St. Elizabeth.
According to the Authority, pimento production has dropped by about 40 per cent over a one year period. Deputy Parish Manager, Neville Morgan, explaining the reason for the decline, stated that a number of pimento trees died following the devastation of Hurricane Ivan last September. He said too that a large number of trees on some large properties were in need of pruning.
EFFORTS TO REPLANT
He suggested that a serious effort to replant pimento trees should be embarked on, in order to regain momentum in the industry.
Statistics received from the pimento department of the Export Division in the Ministry of Agriculture revealed that 1,950 claims were received from pimento farmers whose farms were damaged by the hurricane in St. Elizabeth. The Ministry of Agriculture said that it has settled 786 of those claims at a cost of just over $6 million.
