assessment of the socio-economic and environmental impact

Losses to the livestock sector amounted to $73.45 million, while greenhouse cultivation and the
domestic crop sub sector suffered losses of approximately $52.47 million and $904.37 million
respectively.
The areas most impacted by the passage of the hurricane were concentrated mainly to the
southern and easterly sections of the island. Damage sustained in these areas to crops and
livestock were reportedly due to the effects of gusty winds in excess of one hundred miles per
hour, rather than from flooding. The four most adversely affected parishes were Manchester,
Clarendon, St. Elizabeth and Portland; where a significant portion of the country’s agricultural
activity takes place. In total, these parishes accounted for approximately, 50 percent or $517.7
million of the total losses to the sector.
Manchester suffered the greatest estimated losses, amounting to $203 million. In this parish, the
domestic crop sub sector lost approximately $153 million worth of production. The majority of
the damage sustained to the island’s greenhouses was concentrated in this parish, at an estimated
cost of $45 million.
A loss to the livestock sector while relatively low, in comparison to that of domestic crop
production, was estimated at $40 million. These losses are significant and should not be
underestimated, as this industry contributes significantly to the livelihoods of many small
farmers in these areas.
The cost of damage was greatest in Hanover and St. Thomas which in both cases accounted for
approximately 5.0 per cent. Losses to these four parishes amounted to approximately $160
million. The least affected parishes were Westmoreland and St. Catherine which accounted for
2.0 and 3.0 per cent of total losses respectively.
Table 3.2 and Figure 3.1 below give an empirical breakdown of the figures used to arrive at these
preliminary estimates.
excludes major exportable crops such as coffee, pimento, banana for export etc as collated by RADA.
10 Livestock here refers to poultry, pond fish, fingerlings, goats, sheep, beef cattle, dairy cows, pigs and other
miscellaneous livestock as collated by RADA.
26