Government urged to identify aid for farmers affected by storm Ernesto

Written by: El Sol de Puerto Rico Newspaper

August 15, 2024-“The passage of storm Ernesto through the island had a disastrous impact on the agricultural sector, which is why we urge the government to take immediate measures to help this sector.” This was the demand of representatives Jorge Alfredo Rivera Segarra and Juan José Santiago Nieves, representatives of District 22 and District 28, respectively, to the governor of Puerto Rico in order to provide immediate aid to farmers affected by the passage of the tropical storm.

One of the alternatives presented by the legislators is that the central government use the Emergency Fund to cover the losses incurred in the agricultural sector. According to farmers from their respective representative districts, the damage to their crops is incalculable and because the atmospheric event was a storm, they are unable to claim from insurance companies.

“Farmers in District 22, which includes Adjuntas, Jayuya, Lares and Utuado, as well as those in District 28, Corozal, Comerío and Naranjito, suffered significant losses. This is also replicated in other parts of the island, which is why we call on the governor to allocate money from the Emergency Fund to help farmers,” urged both Rivera Segarra and Santiago Nieves. “It is a reality that farmers were still dealing with the effects of past hurricanes and the pandemic and now they have to deal with the damage caused by storm Ernesto.”

Likewise, the representatives called on Agriculture Secretary Ramón González to present the agency’s work plan to help the country’s agricultural industry. “It is important that the Secretary of Agriculture immediately present his work plan to address the agricultural sector and report how much the losses in this sector amount to. This will allow farmers to face the damage to their farms with a clear picture of the real alternatives available.”

Both Rivera Segarra and Santiago Nieves agreed that the plantation of bananas, vegetables and coffee are the most affected agricultural sectors. “A tour of the municipalities we represent revealed that the plantation of bananas, vegetables and coffee are the most affected. These products are also the most consumed on the island, which is why the government must act urgently to mitigate the shortage of these products in the short and long term.”

The representatives announced that they are willing, in their roles in the House of Representatives, to join forces with the Secretary of Agriculture as well as the Governor in order to identify resources that will help farmers affected by the passage of Tropical Storm Ernesto. The legislators recognized the contributions of this sector to the island, including minimizing poverty, improving and guaranteeing food security, and promoting the economic development of communities.