Rayon Dyer, Gleaner Writer
BLACK RIVER, St. Elizabeth:
AS PREDICTED, after Hurricane Wilma devastated several agricultural crops in St. Elizabeth, approximately six weeks later, all the major fruits and vegetables produced by farmers in the parish were available for consumption.
Speaking with The Gleaner on Monday, Neville Morgan, deputy parish manager of the Rural Agricultural Development Authority (RADA), St. Elizabeth, said the agency had seen an improvement in supply of fresh fruits and vegetables on the local market. He noted that the agency would be working closely with other farmers who were still trying to reorganise their farms.
"We are hoping that this trend will continue, and that more farmers who were hard hit by the hurricane will bounce back to start producing more crops in the first quarter of this year," Mr. Morgan said.
DETERMINED FARMERS
Seymour Simpson, spokesman for the South St. Elizabeth farmers group, said the affected farmers were always determined to get back on track with their various crops. He said it was a joy to see that more than 30 per cent of the farmers in the parish were able to bounce back in such a short time, after the hurricane.
"Among the produce now available on the market are water melon, cantaloupe, carrot and scallion," Mr. Simpson said. He added that, over the next few weeks, many more crops would be ready for harvesting.
The RADA deputy parish manager also noted that, though gungo was in abundance in the parish, the product had been fully absorbed by the local market.
