USDA Food for Progress Jamaica Spices project not spared the onslaught of Hurricane Beryl

THE RAVAGES of Hurricane Beryl on the agricultural, and by extension the spices sector, has had a negative impacted on the USDA Food for Progress Jamaica Spices project.

Members of the project’s technical team have been carrying out assessments and working with farmers and other stakeholders to mitigate losses since the passage of the hurricane.

Chief of Party for the project, Dr Ronald Blake, said while he is deeply saddened by the reversal in the work implemented over the last year in securing and protecting the spice-planting materials, he is happy that the resilience measures implemented have significantly reduced damages when compared to similar operations within the sector.

Dr Blake added that the spices sector, especially the growing of ginger and turmeric by virtue of their agronomical nature, are less susceptible to weather systems such as hurricanes.

Three spices are being revitalised under the project – ginger, turmeric and pimento.

Technical team lead, Clifton Wilson, said greenhouses at the national level, including those associated with the project, suffered immense damage.

He was, however, quick to point out that greenhouse operators who implemented safety measure advice from the project, saved critical elements of their structure.

Wilson stated that the primary damage to planting material is about 20 to 30 per cent. He further added that the risk of secondary damage is highly likely as there is no protection for plants predisposed to physical and phytosanitary risk or damage.

He advised that so as not to worsen the situation, planting should begin immediately.

However, land preparation activities are at a standstill. This, Wilson said, is because the soil is too wet to allow for ploughing. He said that farmers will have to wait another two weeks to carry out this exercise, even as the planting season ends.

The USDA Food for Progress Jamaica Spices Project is a five-year programme aimed at revitalising the spice sector in Jamaica to meet existing export and domestic demands.

It will increase the productivity and expand the trade of high-quality Jamaican ginger, turmeric, and pimento and achieve annual sales of $20.75 million of which $14.75 million will be realised from exports.