Recent rains caused more than $60 million in crop damage

The recent heavy rains have caused an estimated $63 million in crop damage in St Elizabeth, according to Minister of State in the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Mining, Franklin Witter.

Witter was speaking to JIS News last Friday after a tour of several farms and roadways in the south of the parish, which were affected by the recent heavy rainfall. He pointed out that the figure was preliminary.

"After this tour, we will be better able to give a definite figure in terms of the damage. The rain did extensive damage to a number of crops and roadways, even some of the roadways that we would have done work on as recent as a year ago. Sections of those roadways were destroyed as a result of the heavy rains," the state minister said.

He outlined that several types of crops were hard hit by the recent inclement weather in the parish.

"Tomatoes, melons and scallion [were affected]. What we saw on the field today were mainly [those crops], and sweet pepper to a lesser extent," he said.

Witter noted that a figure has not yet been attached to the damage of farm roads in the parish.

Some of the communities visited were Bull Savannah, Tryall, Ballards Valley, Top Hill, Comma Pen, Junction and Cheapside.