Farmers in Bigwoods Recovering After Fire

Farmers in Bigwoods, St. Elizabeth, whose crops were destroyed by a fire earlier this year, are recovering.
Natalie Gordon, a young female farmer in the area, told JIS News that the assistance provided by the Ministry of Agriculture and the Rural Agricultural Development Authority (RADA) has helped them to get back into production and they are now close to where they were before the set back.
“I started selling broccoli one week ago, and by next week I will start reaping carrots, and during the month of July, I will have sweet peppers. And come August my sweet potatoes will be ready. The help that Minister Tufton arranged for us really helped us to bounce back after the fire,” Miss Gordon informed.
Extension Officer for RADA in South West St. Elizabeth, Lawrence Rowe said the farmers had given their word that if they got support they would return to the farms and resume production.
“These farmers are quite resilient and if it is fire, hurricane or water problems, they always prove that once they are provided with support they will produce, and that is what we are seeing at the various farms in the area. The guinea grass, which is used as mulching, has recovered well, and within another two months we will see full reaping of water melons and other crops,” Mr. Rowe told JIS News.
Assistance was provided by RADA to more than 80 farmers who lost crops and livestock.