Plantain and Banana Farmers Receive Assistance Under Hurricane Melissa Recovery Programme

The Government, through the Hurricane Melissa Recovery Programme, has rolled out a $100-million support package to help banana and plantain farmers rebound, following widespread impacts to the nation’s crops by the category-five system in October.

Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Mining, Hon. Floyd Green, said some 4,170 hectares of banana and plantain were damaged during the storm.

He further noted that the initiative, which is already under way, will assist more than 7,000 farmers who were impacted.

“Some $70 million of that $100 million is directed towards fertiliser vouchers, allowing farmers to access inputs that come directly [from] approved farm stores in your communities,” Mr. Green said.

“Also, $27 million is going to go towards the procurement and distribution of bag fertiliser, and another $3 million of the amount to be used to deal with the efficiency and administration of that,” he added.

The Minister was addressing the Banana Board’s Hurricane Melissa Recovery Programme handover ceremony held at the Holy Trinity Anglican Church in Montego Bay, St. James, on February 25.

Mr. Green stated that special attention is being paid to accessibility, noting that the

Ministry is working with farm stores across the respective farming districts as well as arranging for fertilisers to be delivered directly to farming communities.

“So, we will be providing significant support, and we know once you get that nutritional support, it will jump-start your recovery again. So, we do expect, within seven to nine months following Hurricane Melissa, we will see bananas back in good stead,” he said.

He noted that months before Hurricane Melissa, farmers had staged a remarkable comeback from the damage caused by Hurricane Beryl in 2024, pushing banana production to 18,900 tonnes, in the July-to-September quarter of 2025.

However, by the October to December quarter, output fell sharply to 15,000 tonnes of bananas and 12,000 tonnes of plantains.

“As such, for us at the Ministry, Banana Board and through Rural Agricultural Development Authority (RADA), we understand that given the scale of the decline, we have to help you to get back on your feet,” Mr. Green stated.

In addition to the $100-million package, the Banana Industry Catastrophe Fund provided support to 116 farmers, who received fertiliser inputs, five bags each, valued at approximately $20 million.

Beneficiary, Bernice Lindo, is a farmer from Maroon Town in St. James, who has worked the land for more than two decades.

She told JIS News that while her fields were completely destroyed by the hurricane, she is eager to return fully to farming.

“This initiative will help because we have to get back to work on our farms,” Ms. Lindo stated.