This country’s agricultural sector has been significantly negatively impacted by weather conditions throughout this year.

Minister of Agriculture Saboto Caesar made this statement during a Face-to-Face programme aired on NBC Radio recently.

Minister Caesar said from January to April 2024, there was a severe drought that devastated the Agricultural sector.

"I just want to take you through what occurred from January of 2024 to now as it pertains to natural disasters. For the months: January, February, March, up into April of 2024, we had a severe drought. We had farmers who had invested significantly in the Christmas of 2023 in production and were waiting to reap in January, February, March in about April of 2024, but because of the drought they lost all their crops. So, you had persons losing and the Ministry of Agriculture we declared and Agricultural Drought."

Minister Caesar said before the assessments were done for the drought, the Agricultural Sector was again hit by Hurricane Beryl at the start of July.

He said the recent rains also caused significant damage to the country’s Agricultural sector.

"In June the assessment is still going on it's a national assessment, and before the report can come in for the assessment at the end of June, July 1st you had a category four (4) hurricane, Beryl. Those persons who went out and had the reports done and the assessments they still had them in their possessions. We didn't present it to Cabinet as yet because the drought was so intense. You had ninety-eight percent (98%) of the bananas and plantains down, you had roads that you could not get pass, you had landslides that took out a lot of potatoes, a lot of different commodities the ginger, the dasheen."

SOURCE: National Broadcasting Corporation (NBC Radio)