Hurricane Melissa inflicted significant damage on Jamaica’s agriculture sector, with preliminary assessments indicating losses of approximately $29.5 billion. The disaster affected more than 70,000 farmers and disrupted operations across 41,390 hectares of farmland. Additionally, approximately 1,251,410 animals – including small ruminants, poultry, and cattle – have been lost. Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Mining, Hon. Floyd Green, made the disclosure...

State-owned refinery, Petrojam, is reporting that fuel reserves remain healthy, with two to three weeks of supply in storage and more than 20 million litres of aviation fuel currently available. This update was provided by Minister of Energy, Transport and Telecommunications, Hon. Daryl Vaz, during a press conference at Jamaica House on Tuesday (November 11). He further indicated that repairs...

Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Mining, Hon. Floyd Green, says to stabilise supply and protect household food security, the Government will be tapping into external sources for selected fruits and vegetables. These, he said, include tomato, lettuce, cabbage, sweet pepper, carrot and papaya, based on dietary importance, stock levels and anticipated gaps over the next two months. “We will closely...

Jamaica’s 100-metre World Champion, Oblique Seville, has partnered with United Way of Jamaica to assist farmers impacted by Hurricane Melissa. Seville has donated $500,000 to the organisation’s Restoration and Rehabilitation Fund, which will primarily assist the farming community. This is through the provision of financial assistance, equipment, and supplies to help farmers rebuild their farms, homes, and livelihoods. The track...

A new protocol has been implemented to ensure that all humanitarian and emergency response vehicles can move swiftly through the island’s toll corridors to deliver essential supplies, personnel, and assistance to affected communities. The new measure was announced on Monday, November 10, in the aftermath of Category Five Hurricane Melissa. Under this arrangement, all ministries, departments, and agencies, non-governmental organisations,...

The Ministry of Health and Wellness has developed its Hurricane Melissa Response Programme, which will be undertaken in three phases. Portfolio Minister, Dr. the Hon. Christopher Tufton, says phase one, which is the relief phase, will focus on reinstating health services, saving lives, and preventing disease. “Phase one will occur over three months. Phase two of the programme has the...

Ninety-eight farmers registered with the Rural Agricultural Development Authority (RADA) will benefit from a $2.88 million insurance payout under the GraceKennedy Weather Protection Programme to aid their recovery from the impact of Hurricane Melissa. The parametric insurance product, administered by GraceKennedy (GK) General Insurance Company Limited, is designed to safeguard the livelihoods of local farmers and fishers against extreme weather...