George Henry, Gleaner Writer
Gungo peas. - GEORGE HENRY PHOTO
SPALDINGS, Clarendon:
CONSUMERS OF gungo peas should brace themselves for a bumper crop this year. Farmers and vendors in Clarendon, St. Elizabeth and Manchester say the crop will be available in abundance this month.
At the Christiana market, unlike last year this time, several vendors had gungo for sale, while others promised that the peas would be available in a few weeks.
SHORTAGE LAST YEAR
Wayne Myrie who sells in the busy Mandeville market told Farmers Weekly that there was a shortage of the peas last year due to the passage of Hurricane Ivan which devastated most farms. This, he said, resulted in a severe shortage of gungo peas, causing the price to skyrocket.
Mr. Myrie said despite the severe weather earlier this year the crop blossomed early in October in time for reaping at this time. He said the price of gungo peas was between $400 and $500 per quart in the aftermath of the hurricane. But that has now changed as checks by Farmers Weekly in the Christiana and Spaldings markets found gungo selling for $200 per quart.
HAPPY
Winston Ashley, who has a farm in Kinole, South St. Elizabeth, is now happy that his gungo crop has reached maturity. In 2004 he lost over three and a half acres with the passage of Hurricane Ivan.
"This year I have to give thanks because the long showers last year did not affect my farm too badly, and I will have more than enough to sell to vendors," said Mr. Ashley. Already, he said he has secured a market for his crop.
With this year's crop promising to be a good one the fear among some farmers now is that there might be a glut. Vendors too are worried that a glut might force them to sell the peas too cheaply.
