By Damion Mitchell, Staff Reporter

IT WILL take several billions of dollars to restore the island's agricultural sector, industry players said at a meeting with Agriculture Minister Roger Clarke yesterday.

Mr. Clarke convened the meeting at his Hope Gardens offices in St. Andrew to ascertain initial assessment of the damage to agriculture on a directive from Cabinet on Monday.

But even while agricultural interests continue to count their losses, Mr. Clarke said he could not promise any relief package that would ensure an immediate recovery of the industry.

"We are not awash with resources and, therefore, whatever recommendations we make must be tempered by the fact that we do not have the kind of resources that we need," he said.

RECOVERY URGENT

Prime Minister P.J. Patterson, at a Jamaica House meeting yesterday, said that the recovery of the sector is urgent "for reasons that affect domestic food supply, income in rural areas and export agriculture."

Dr. Marshall Hall, managing director of the Jamaica Producers Group, reported that the entire banana industry had been devastated. The two banana farms operated by his company were flattened, with restoration being projected over the next six months. He said that initial surveys indicate that losses could amount to $1 billion.

The livestock sector was most terribly hit, with Raymond Brooks, chairman of the Jamaica Dairy Farmers' Federation, reporting that 200 dairy cows died at several farms between Hanover and Clarendon. He said, however, the majority of the animals were young calves. But he noted that with the extensive damage to several electrical generators, milking equipment and sheds, milk production was significantly restricted.

The goat industry also suffered immensely. In St. Catherine, Clarendon, Manchester and St. Elizabeth, several goats were killed while research facilities were extensively damaged.

There was about 30 per cent damage to the poultry sector, but both Caribbean Broilers and Jamaica Broilers ­ the island's largest chicken producers - have reported that there will not be an increase in the price of chicken, and that there is enough chicken in cold storage to last for another four weeks.

At least two factories were flooded and hundreds of sugar cane plants flattened, while some 500 acres of cane at the Appleton Estates in St. Elizabeth are still inundated with water.

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