$250 million earmarked for second phase of farmer aid after Hurricane Melissa, Green tells Parliament

The Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Mining has set aside $250 million for the next stage of the Hurricane Melissa recovery effort, aimed at producers who did not receive help when assistance first went out.

Portfolio Minister the Hon. Floyd Green disclosed the figure on Wednesday, 13 May, as he spoke in the House of Representatives during the 2026/2027 Sectoral Debate. His team, he said, is weighing a voucher arrangement so support can reach those passed over during the opening round of relief. Livestock producers as well as yam and coffee growers can expect further backing, according to the Minister.

Mr Green argued that if Jamaica is to become harder to knock down when shocks hit, ordinary people must grow more at home. “So, this year we will be continuing our Backyard Gardening Programme and we’ll be distributing 5,000 backyard gardening kits targeting urban spaces and also some aeroponic towers, so we can increase the production at home,” Minister Green outlined.

He sketched a wider push to replace fruit trees lost when Melissa tore through, saying large numbers had been ruined in the storm. Officials are working toward 3,000 acres under orchard crops by 2035, with ackee, breadfruit, mango, coconut and avocado in the spotlight. “In fact, we have worked with Trees that Feed Foundation and we have gotten three new avocado varieties – the Hass, the Carla and the Semil 34… . These varieties give us the ability to grow avocado right around the year. We will move it from a seasonal crop,” Minister Green announced.

The Citrus Revitalisation Programme will keep running as part of efforts to rebuild that branch of farming. Attention will also go to the Wambugu apple, which has performed strongly under local conditions, Mr Green said. “We’re now growing [Wambugu apple] in our agro-park and we’re going to use it to replace the very popular American apple. It came out of Kenya [and] has taken well to this environment,” he explained.

For the longer haul, the Minister said he has asked the Seed and Nursery Certification Unit at Bodles to work with the Forestry Department so Jamaica can widen its stock of bearing trees more quickly. That work feeds into work starting this year toward having a fruit tree planted at every home across the country by 2033.