Small farmers suffer big flood losses

Leaford Rose, a 58-year-old farmer, is one of many Clarendon farmers bemoaning the effects of the continuous rainfall pelting the island. Rose, of Sunbury in the north-west of the parish, told THE STAR that he lost a 150-pound pig, which was washed away in flooded waters on Sunday morning.

Rose, who also plants vegetables, said his crops have been destroyed.

"Is the first time me a lose animals in rain, and is long time me live here," said the small farmer who is fearful of losing his four other pigs in similar fashion.

INCREASE IN LOSSES

Doreen Francis, who heads a farmers' group of more than a dozen farmers in Cumberland, also in the north-west of the parish, told THE STAR that the losses are piling up.

"It has been more than three weeks that we crops under water. Usually, when rain time the crops under water fi like three days, then the water draw down, but a weeks now," she said.

Francis, who plants carrots, cucumbers, string beans, dasheen and yams, said she has been in dialogue with representatives from the Rural Agricultural Development Authority, who have promised to visit her farm and make an assessment .

"The dasheen dead completely 'cause a dasheen weh fe dig this month. Them just come up with the leaf 'cause all of them rotten," said Francis.

Councillor for the Ritchies division said Elvis Marshall lauded a drain-cleaning project undertaken earlier this year, which he said helped to alleviate the impact of the flooding.

"That [project] saved us a little, but people's home are flooded and farmers are losing," he said.

Frederick Blackstock, councillor/caretaker for the division said, "North West Clarendon is suffering from the rain ... suffering big time. Farmers losing their crops, landslides, a lot of things."