Bushy Park Farmer Battles Labour Shortage To Keep Five-Acre Farm Going

Managing five acres without steady help takes hard labour, and Norbert Morris of Bushy Park, St Catherine, says the shortage of farm workers has left him with few options.

When THE WEEKEND STAR arrived at his property earlier this week, it was not yet 10 a.m., but the sun was already bearing down. Morris, sitting for a short break on a white sofa with his okra crop in view, said the work has become harder because dependable labour is now scarce.

According to him, too many people turn away from field work, especially tasks that require long hours in the heat and the use of basic farm tools. "People don't really want farm work any more," Morris said. "They don't want bush work or to use a machete or hoe. Some just want money easy and quick," he added, saying punctuality and consistency are also problems.

Morris said he is prepared to pay about $20,000 weekly for work on the farm, but even that does not always bring workers. Jamaica's national minimum wage is $16,000 for a 40-hour week, with a $1,000 increase scheduled for July 1.

For over a decade, Morris has stayed with agriculture, despite the strain. He said he previously earned from construction, but the work was not steady, so he decided to put unused land into production and build a small farming operation.

"I started out just using a small section for pigs and a bit of planting, and it kept growing until I was working the whole five acres myself," he said. "Now I have everything -- okra, squash, coconuts, bananas, plantain, yam, and other ground provisions."

Morris said farming can be satisfying, but people outside the field often do not understand the pressure farmers face. He remembered having to move tomatoes at very low prices simply to get back part of his investment, with little left as profit.

He said repeated weather problems since the hurricane have made it more difficult to replant, particularly where fields were damaged. Morris also said unreliable payments from some market buyers have added to the burden.

Another major blow, he said, was the loss of a valuable bull. Morris recalled refusing an offer of $460,000 for the animal, only for it to be stolen later. He said the theft remains among the hardest setbacks he has faced while trying to recover and grow his farm.