IAN ALLEN/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
These farmers show a heap of tomatoes they managed to save from the raging bush fire that razed over 100 acres of farm land in Tryall and surrounding districts in
St. Elizabeth.
John Myers Jr., Farmers Weekly Coordinator
THE RURAL Agricultural Development Authority (RADA) is projecting that damage to farm lands by the raging bush fires engulfing sections of St. Elizabeth could reach $15 million.
Howard Hines, parish manager of the Rural Agricultural Development Authority (RADA) in St. Elizabeth, told Farmers Weekly that the damage to agriculture "might come to about $15 million which, we are using as a guide." He said preliminary assessment of the damage in the Woodside area alone has been estimated to cost in excess of $10 million.
COMPLETION
He said assessments were continuing in the other affected areas, and should be completed by next Tuesday. Mr. Hines said more than 56 hectares of farm lands used for cultivating mainly tomatoes, thyme, escallion, water melon and sweet peppers have so far been damaged by the fire that has been raging since February 9. About 20 goats were also reported lost in the fire.
Mr. Hines said the fire, which has been limited to the Woodside, Old Bottom and Tryall communities, was under control. The RADA manager, however, said the current drought was serving as fuel to the fire.
With the destruction caused by the fire, compounded by the current drought conditions affecting sections of the island, the recovery of the agriculture sector which suffered major damage by Hurricane Ivan last September is now threatened.
Last week, Agriculture Minister Roger Clarke said the drought was having a devastating effect on the sector, especially in the 'Breadbasket Parish', where the dry spell was affecting mainly vegetable and root crops.
NEGATIVE EFFECTS
"We have very serious drought conditions in about 10 parishes," Minister Clarke said. "All these parishes are experiencing the negative effects of the drought, but the problem was greatest in St. Elizabeth, Manchester, parts of St. Ann, parts of St. James, Hanover, Clarendon, St. Andrew and St. Catherine.
St. Elizabeth farmer Kingsley Palmer in a recent interview said, "We are not getting any rains at the moment so there is a significant decline in yield."
Claude Taylor, another St. Elizabeth farmer, said the drought was "getting pretty bad (and) to purchase water was really excessive, it throws everything off-balance."
The Ministry of Land and Environment has reportedly allocated $1 million to RADA to assist farmers affected by the fires in St. Elizabeth. Approximately 65 farmers have so far been affected by the bush fires.
