SANTO DOMINGO. – Farmers didn’t realize two storms had the capacity to damage so much in just a short time. A report by Dominican Agribusiness Board (JAD) says losses caused by the phenomena total RD$10.5 billion; RD$7.0 billion from Noel and RD$3.5 billion from the floods unleashed Olga rains and the release of the Tavera dam.

The storms devastated the entire country’s farm production as the rains, swelled rivers, winds and landslides also wrecked infrastructure.

Only the overflowed waters from the North Yaque river covered as much as six kilometers of plantain and banana plantations in the northwest region.

The report was presented by JAD president Francisco Leonis Fernandez and the other executives to the agri-business leaders and banana growers, says although the storms caused irreparable damage to human life and to livestock, the industry would recover quickly, to be able toe provide the population’s staple, depending on the efficiency, speed, intelligence and breadth to confront the material damages.

However, the JAD is skeptic as to the authorities’ diligent response, pointing out they have to see the first penny of  the RD$300 million check president Leonel Fernandez gave to begin the recovery works in affected zones.

It sad the highest losses are to rice, bananas, plantains, meat and dairy cattle, avocadoes, industrial and produce tomatoes, vegetables, kidney beans, pigeon peas, cassava, coffee, cacao, coconuts, papaya and other lesser crops.

It says banana growers are the big losers as the serious damages or total losses to thousand of hectares of plantations reach 110,500 boxes per week, or 5.74 million fruit this year. It estimates losses in those exports of US$48.8 million.

To recover the banana crop, the JAD estimates RD$15,000 per tarea, a total of RD$975 million.