Two agricultural groups are predicting higher food prices and job losses as a result of flooding that has left farming communities in Penal, Maloney/Orange Grove, Plum Mitan and Sangre Grande under water yesterday.
The prices can sky rocket as much as 300 hundred per cent in the coming weeks, while scores of labourers could lose their livelihoods due to affected fields.
Both organisations have cited inadequate clearing and cleaning of water channels in communities as a contributing factor to the deluge.
President of the Agricultural Society of T&T Dhanoo Sookoo and president of the Farmers’ Union of T&T Shiraz Khan made the prediction yesterday, as relentless rains pounded on fields across the country.
However, Agriculture Minister Clarence Rambharat in response to Sookoo and Khan’s statement said the rain have now started and the Ministry of Works and Transport and the 14 regional corporations have done a lot of work to clear water courses.
“It is too early to be crying doom and gloom,” Rambharat said.
Yesterday, Sookoo, who toured Vega De Oropouche, in Sangre Grande and Plum Mitan, admitted that these farming communities were under water.
“Farmers in Plum Mitan have been clamouring to get their channels cleared for the past two years. We know for sure there will be a lot of flooding in this area which would lead to higher food prices for consumers.”
In addition to this, Sookoo said taxpayers would also have to pay affected farmers flood relief .
“We were in the Maloney/Orange Grove area on Sunday and observed that some areas were affected by the heavy rainfall. That is why we have been appealing for Government to provide the right kind of incentive and frame work so farmers could get involved in protected agriculture. What has happened in the last two days with open field farming we have seen heavy losses to crops.”
With work on the Point Fortin High resuming, Sookoo said some areas of the swamp in south were filled so the water is diverting and settling in fields in Puzzle Island in Penal.
“It is not only losses based on flooding. It is also losses based on rainfall damage. Flowers and young fruits on plants have been falling off while plants have been taking a battering. Crops have also been melting and rotting,” Sookoo said.
Sookoo said there has been no strong policy to take the sector forward in a sustainable direction.
“In some cases crops can increase by 200 and 300 per cent. Where farmers are supposed to be harvesting in the next three months, with the on going rain, production would be severely damaged and they would have to replant. Also people who are employed on affected farms will be out of jobs.”
She said water logged farms could lead to demand outweighing supply of commodities.
“This present Government campaigned on protecting the agriculture sector and what we are seeing is same old, same old. Once again it’s a showcasing of bad politics and bad governance. Not only with this Government but in the past. The agriculture ministry is suppose to provide a cushion for consumers when its comes to food availability and food affordability,” Sookoo said.
Khan urged consumers to brace for a hike in prices and job losses.
“We can expect commodities such as patchoi, lettuce, herbs, cucumbers, water melon, hot peppers, green peppers, ochro and tomatoes to go up. Agricultural labourers will also face the breadline when farmers’ fields are no longer in operation.With people losing their jobs this will definitely have an impact on the small man. They are the ones who will suffer.”
