Farmer says poor infrastructure putting dent in profits
Ness Castle in St Thomas is known for its lush vegetation, coffee plantations and other farm produce.
But, according to at least one farmer, the community has not been living up to its true potential because of the lack of proper roads. Leon Crossdale, who has been a farmer for more than two decades, says the cost to take produce from the farm to market has increased as drivers are charging based on road conditions.
“Say, for example, yuh would go Morant Bay to purchase tings for the farm. It would cost like $7,000 or $8,000, now it a cost like $14,000 to $15,000. A driver a go tell yuh say him may damage a tyre or break a spring, so him a charge for it,” he said. Crossdale told THE STAR that the area gets busy when it is coffee reaping season but the poor road conditions have hindered the community’s prosperity.
“If Ness Castle did ever have good road, we would be a model community based on what we are known for. We contribute significantly to the economy because we produce more than 40,000 crop of coffee yearly. Sometimes all of us as farmers have to set aside a day to patch the road suh the vehicle can come in,” he said.
“Coffee farmers these side employ all 200 ladies during crop season, and we have issues at times to transport dem to the farm because the road in a deplorable condition. Sometimes we have a good crop but the majority go back into transportation cost,” Crossdale added.
In addition to coffee, the area is known for other produce. When the news team visited the area, Crossdale and two of his workers, Fitzroy Bailey and Fabian Harriot, were toiling under the heat from the midday sun as they worked on a large onion farm. Despite his vast experience, Crossdale said this is only his second crop of onions.
“I am the only person in this area who does onion. You can raise an income from it because it is always in demand. From 4:30 a.m. mi outside a tend to mi farm dem. Yuh can’t plant enough onion to supply Jamaica. Mi sleep and dream mi farms because this is what put food on the table,” he said.
– S.M.L.