A fire in Westphalia in the Blue Mountains resulted in significant damage to farms, coffee crops and properties.
The Jamaica Agricultural Commodities Regulatory Authority (JACRA) is urging farmers and members of the agricultural community to exercise extreme caution when handling fires and burning domestic waste, particularly as Jamaica continues to experience dry conditions across several areas of the island.
The warning follows a devastating fire in Westphalia in the Blue Mountains, a major coffee-producing area, which resulted in significant damage to farms, crops and properties.
Residents reported that a fire, believed to have started in the early hours of August 26, escaped control and spread rapidly through the area.
Several coffee farmers suffered extensive losses, with some losing entire sections of their farms, while others also sustained damage to their homes.
In response, JACRA led a delegation to the affected area to assess the extent of the damage and engage with farmers who were impacted by the blaze.
Coffee can take approximately three to four years to come into fruition, making the loss of mature coffee plants a serious setback to farmers' livelihoods.
Many farmers also rely on intercropping to supplement their income between coffee harvesting periods. However, the fire destroyed these additional crops, further compounding the financial impact on affected farmers.
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