Following the impact of Hurricane Beryl, JP Farms in Jamaica has reported a faster-than-anticipated recovery of its banana farm. The category 4 hurricane resulted in extensive damage to the farm, including banana and plantain crops, and infrastructure, with a projected revenue loss of around $600 million.
The farm's recovery program includes the chopback phase, involving the removal of toppled plants and replanting of uprooted ones, alongside weed control, disease management, and repairs to damaged infrastructure. This phase was completed in half the initially projected time, covering over 113 hectares.
JP Farms now enters the final stages of its recovery, with an expected return of its bananas to supermarket shelves by late January 2025, which is five weeks ahead of the original projection. General Manager Mario Figueroa credits this to the farm team's dedication and pre-hurricane field practices that resulted in more resilient plants.
Recovery efforts began immediately after the hurricane, with the farm office serving as a coordination hub. The farm has invested over $2.5 million in repairs and aid for team members' homes. Additionally, packhouse workers have volunteered in the fields to expedite the recovery process.
The Banana Board of Jamaica's Oral Lewis commended JP Farms for their progress. The farm, a participant in the Banana Industry Catastrophic Fund, received a minimal subsidy for its rehabilitation costs. Post-hurricane, the farm has taken measures to increase resilience against future storms, including reinforcing drainage and planting shorter banana varieties.
Despite the hurricane's impact, JP Farms' pineapple business remained largely unaffected, allowing continued supply of pineapples while banana recovery efforts were underway.
Source: Loop