Banana growers express their readiness challenges as the hurricane season approaches. Farmers like Noel Clarke and Hermine Campbell recount past experiences, noting their limited ability to protect farms from severe weather. Despite losses from Hurricane Beryl, they prioritize clearing drains and managing trees. Clarke, who experienced a 90% loss on his St Mary farm, described the swift initiation of recovery efforts post-storm. Campbell emphasized similar measures on her farm, focusing on managing excess rain to avoid waterlogging and relocating vulnerable trees.
Hurricane Beryl significantly impacted Jamaica's banana and plantain sector, inflicting crop losses valued at $2.4 billion and causing supply deficits. This also affected local banana chip manufacturers. Adrian Grant, managing director of Native Food Packers Limited, notes ongoing recovery efforts. "We're still recovering from last year," he shared, highlighting decreased banana imports during the aftermath.
Grant indicates the limitations in protecting outdoor crops like bananas, stressing dependency on smaller farms to meet demand. While considering banana importation as a contingency, he reaffirms the company's focus on local production.
At JP Farms, general manager Mario Figueroa remains optimistic, revealing preparation strategies including infrastructure reinforcement and planting windbreaks. Despite past losses, the company has resumed production ahead of schedule through rapid recovery strategies and storage solutions for surplus fruit.
The Banana Board underlines ongoing support for local growers in disaster readiness. Manager Janet Conie describes initiatives like disaster management training and early seasonal preparation, emphasizing timely drain cleaning and plant care to mitigate potential damage. Pest control and labor shortages present additional challenges. Conie encourages broader enrollment in the Catastrophe Fund, which provides financial assistance post-storm.
With the season approaching, efforts focus on reinforcing resilience across the banana sector, leveraging strategies to mitigate future disruptions.
Source: Jamaica Observer
