Hurricane Beryl devastates Dominican farms, over 13,000 tareas lost

Santo Domingo – According to weather forecasts, Hurricane Beryl’s impact on Dominican soil was felt more in the country’s southern region. Although it did not cause significant damage or human losses, the atmospheric phenomenon did affect part of that region’s agricultural sector.

According to the preliminary report made on Thursday by the technicians of the Southern Region of the Ministry of Agriculture, Beryl caused moderate damages to 846 producers with some 13,815 tareas of banana, coffee, bananas, bananas, red and black beans, corn, pigeon peas, cassava, and avocado.

The hurricane, which entered the country as a category four and left on Wednesday, 3, affected inter-parcel roads in the Barahona, Bahoruco, and Pedernales communities.

“Preliminary highlights total damages in 410 tasks in Oviedo and the community of Guancho (both in Pedernales). In Neiba weak affectations”, reported the Ministry of Agriculture.

The Minister of Agriculture, Limber Cruz, sent the chief of staff of the agricultural entity, Fredy Fernandez, to visit the damaged areas.

Agriculture arranged brigades and machinery to work the irrigation canals and deliver planting materials and agricultural inputs to the affected products.

It also arranged for the preparation of land free of charge and the reconditioning of inter-parcel roads.
“Other measures to help the affected producers are to revalue the loans with the Agricultural Bank, to make their payment methods more flexible; also, to buy the fallen plantains and bananas and other items that can be marketed through INESPRE,” informed the institution.