Farmers marooned in Mavis Bank

Several farmers are now marooned in Mavis Bank, St Andrew.

The president of the Jamaica Agricultural Society Senator Norman Grant says the entrances and exits to the community have been cut off by debris and fallen trees.

In the meantime, he says preliminary reports suggest that about 50 percent of the country’s banana plants have been affected and bananas left to ripe are at risk of spoiling.

Grant also says the breadfruit and coffee sectors were badly hit.

SEE: Photo Gallery - Picking up after Sandy

Turning to coffee, he said about $30 million worth of unprocessed berries are now at risk of spoiling because there is no electricity.

He wants the government to implement an emergency restoration programme for the agriculture sector.

The Rural Agricultural Development Authority is now assessing the damage caused to the sector.

editorial@gleanerjm.com