Government to import key foods post hurricane

The announcement was made by the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Mining, Hon. Floyd Green, during a statement in the House of Representatives on Tuesday.

Minister Green revealed that the immediate strategy involves tapping into external sources for several key produce items, including tomato, lettuce, cabbage, sweet pepper, carrot, and papaya. The selection was based on their dietary importance, current stock levels, and anticipated supply gaps over the next two months.

The move comes after Hurricane Melissa, a catastrophic Category-5 system, made landfall on Jamaica’s south-western coast on Tuesday, October 28. The storm, with sustained winds of over 260 kilometres per hour, ravaged the parishes of Westmoreland, St. James, Hanover, St. Elizabeth, and Trelawny — a region known as the country's agricultural breadbasket.

The storm's impact has reversed recent production gains and poses an immediate threat to food security, price stability, and the livelihoods of thousands.

Preliminary damage assessments paint a grim picture, indicating agricultural losses of approximately $29.5 billion. The hurricane has affected more than 70,000 farmers and damaged some 41,390 hectares of farmland.

Beyond produce, the government is also turning its attention to the country's protein supply. Minister Green indicated that immediate steps will be taken to facilitate the importation of table eggs, a decision reached following an emergency egg production meeting.

“We will closely monitor our protein supply and where necessary take the appropriate action to fill the identified gaps,” Minister Green stated. “Already coming out of our egg production meeting we will have to take immediate steps to facilitate the importation of table eggs.”

This emergency import initiative is designed to bridge the critical supply shortfall caused by the hurricane and prevent drastic price hikes, ensuring that Jamaican households continue to have access to essential food items while the local agricultural sector begins the long process of recovery.