JAS Donates Vital Farming Inputs to 120 Coffee Farmers in Hurricane Recovery Effort
By: , December 24, 2025
Photo: Mark Bell
Representative of the Mount Salus Jamaica Agricultural Society (JAS) Branch in St. Andrew, Trevor Jarrett (second left), receives a water pump from agricultural stakeholders including (from left) JAS Chief Executive Officer, Derron Grant; Jamaica Agricultural Commodities Regulatory Authority (JACRA) Acting Director General, Wayne Hunter; JAS President, Owen Dobson; Chief Technical Director of Technical Services in the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Mining, Orville Palmer, and Jamaica Coffee Growers Association (JCGA) President, Donald Salmon, during Tuesday’s (December 23) handover ceremony at the JAS head office on Church Street, Kingston. Farming inputs, including fertiliser, buckets, water boots, water pumps, and wheelbarrows, were distributed by the JAS to 120 coffee farmers from eastern parishes through collaboration with JCGA, JACRA, and Food for the Poor, as part of post-Hurricane Melissa recovery efforts.
Photo: Mark Bell
Agricultural stakeholders, including (from left) Jamaica Agricultural Commodities Regulatory Authority (JACRA) Acting Director General, Wayne Hunter; Jamaica Agricultural Society (JAS) President, Owen Dobson; Jamaica Coffee Growers Association (JCGA) President, Donald Salmon; Chief Technical Director of Technical Services in the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Mining, Orville Palmer; and JAS Chief Executive Officer, Derron Grant, present fertiliser to a farmer (centre) during Tuesday’s (December 23) handover ceremony at the JAS head office on Church Street, Kingston. Farming inputs, including fertiliser, buckets, water boots, water pumps, and wheelbarrows, were distributed by the JAS to 120 coffee farmers from eastern parishes, through collaboration with JCGA, JACRA, and Food for the Poor, as part of post-Hurricane Melissa recovery efforts.The Full Story
The Jamaica Agricultural Society (JAS), on Tuesday (December 23), presented vital farming inputs to coffee farmers, a gesture aimed at strengthening agricultural recovery and boosting production in the wake of Hurricane Melissa.
The donated items—fertiliser, buckets, water boots, water pumps, and wheelbarrows—were distributed to approximately 120 farmers across Kingston, St. Andrew, St. Thomas, and Portland.
Speaking during the handover ceremony at the JAS head office on Church Street, Kingston, Chief Technical Director of Technical Services in the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Mining, Orville Palmer, noted that farmers in eastern Jamaica—particularly those in the coffee sector—were significantly impacted by the Category Five hurricane
He reported that approximately 40 per cent of coffee trees were damaged, leading to production losses estimated between 40 and 50 per cent, with the overall value of losses placed at roughly $800 million.
Mr. Palmer noted that the handover exercise undertaken by the JAS is in alignment with the Ministry’s broader national response to the hurricane.
“The provision of fertiliser to coffee farmers, in collaboration with the Jamaica Coffee Growers Association (JCGA), directly supports recovery in the field and assists farmers as they work to restore productivity. The donation of small tools to Food for the Poor further supports farmers as they return to active production,” he stated.
Mr. Palmer commended the JAS for its role in assisting farmers, while pledging the continued support of the Agriculture Ministry in rebuilding the coffee sector
Meanwhile, JAS President, Owen Dobson, underscored the importance of collaboration in supporting farmers, citing this as essential for the agriculture sector to rebound from the disaster.
The JAS’ donation was made possible through collaboration with the JCGA the Jamaica Agricultural Commodities Regulatory Authority (JACRA), and Food for the Poor.
“We are building back and building back stronger than ever before. What a difference it makes when we work together. As we continue to work for change, we at the JAS continue to do everything we can to serve and to empower the agricultural sector for years to come,” Mr. Dobson declared.
