Agriculture Ministry Receives $5.5M Hurricane Melissa Relief Inputs from Hi-Pro
By: , December 18, 2025
Photo: Dave Reid
Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Mining, Hon. Floyd Green (left), converses with (from second left) Hi-Pro Vice President, Colonel (ret’d) Jaimie Ogilvie, and Farm Store Manager, Sherrae Wong-Black; and Chairman of the Agriculture Ministry’s Hurricane Melissa Recovery Task Force, Michael Pryce. The group convened at Hi‑Pro Ace Supercentre in White Marl, St. Catherine, on Wednesday (December 17) for the handover of $5.5 million in essential farming inputs, including livestock feed, chicks, and fertilisers, to support farmers recovering from Hurricane Melissa.
Photo: Dave Reid
Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Mining, Hon. Floyd Green (left), examines a packet of watermelon seeds with Hi‑Pro Vice President, Colonel (ret’d) Jaimie Ogilvie, and Farm Store Manager, Sherrae Wong‑Black. The group viewed a display of agricultural inputs during Wednesday’s (December 17) handover ceremony at Hi‑Pro Ace Supercentre in White Marl, St. Catherine, for the entity’s $5.5-million donation of essential inputs, inclusive of chicks, feed, and fertilisers, that will support farmers recovering from Hurricane Melissa.
Photo: Dave Reid
Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Mining, Hon. Floyd Green (centre), is presented with a chick by Hi‑Pro Vice President, Colonel (ret’d) Jaimie Ogilvie, during Wednesday’s (December 17) handover ceremony at Hi‑Pro Ace Supercentre in White Marl, St. Catherine. Observing is Chairman of the Agriculture Ministry’s Hurricane Melissa Recovery Task Force, Michael Pryce. The gesture symbolised Hi‑Pro’s $5.5-million donation of essential inputs, including poultry, livestock feed, and fertilisers, to support farmers affected by Hurricane Melissa.The Full Story
The Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Mining has received Hurricane Melissa relief inputs, valued approximately $5.5 million, from agricultural entity Hi‑Pro, which will be distributed to farmers significantly impacted by the Category Five system.
Among the items handed over were chicks, chicken feed, animal feed supplements and chicken wire.
The company also provided support for vegetable and livestock farmers, including seeds, agricultural chemicals, fertilisers, and feed for goats, pigs and layers.
Portfolio Minister, Hon. Floyd Green, commended the entity for the donation, noting that it supports Jamaica’s recovery efforts.
He pointed out that the gesture will ease the financial burden on poultry farmers while supporting the agricultural sector’s restoration.
“Feed is one of the single largest input costs for poultry farmers, and disruptions to feed availability or affordability can delay recovery long after the hurricane has passed. Hi-Pro is stepping forward to help remove, in this process, one of the critical barriers to restart production, and for that we’re grateful,” Minister Green said.
He was speaking during Wednesday’s (December 17) handover ceremony at Hi-Pro Ace Supercentre in White Marl, St. Catherine.
Wednesday’s donation is the latest from Hi‑Pro, which disclosed that more than $80 million in direct input has been provided to the agriculture sector since Hurricane Melissa devastated sections of the country during its passage on October 28.
“Two weeks immediately following Melissa, Hi-Pro gave away over 360,000 chicks [valued $60 million] to farmers across the island. A lot of it went to central and eastern parishes, to farmers who had the capacity to make up for the loss in production that was experienced in the west,” Hi-Pro Vice President, Colonel (ret’d) Jaimie Ogilvie informed.
He added that farmers in western Jamaica with the necessary facilities also received chicks.
Colonel Ogilvie explained that the donation was intended to prevent a shortfall in chicken meat during the Christmas holiday season.
He noted that the value of the donation does not include weekly mobile veterinary clinics in western parishes, technical support provided to farmers, or specific discounts and discretionary trade terms extended to those in need.
Colonel Ogilvie committed further support from Hi‑Pro, as the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Mining continues its efforts to rebuild the sector.
