Residents of St Ann are facing a shortage of vegetables such as pak choi, cabbage and lettuce over the next two months, as the drought affecting the parish hits home.

"It (drought) is having a serious impact, as the farmers are unable to plant and are now doing mostly land preparation. ... Only yam can be planted, not even sweet potato," Rural Agricultural Development Authority (RADA) parish manager for St Ann, Pedro Worghs, told The Gleaner.

"We are looking at a shortage, maybe in the next two months," he added.

Worghs lamented the fact that the parish has paltry irrigation practices to offset droughts during summer months.

Drought

Farmer Mark Cummings, otherwise called Blacka, of Parry Town, said he lost his crop of tomatoes, as well as a lot of sweet peppers, because of the drought.

"Mi get a beat'n' with the tomato. Them bear but after a while them drop off," Cummings told The Gleaner.

He said he would be planting carrots as soon as conditions improve.

His banana and plantain crops have weathered the devastation, Cummings said.

Despite the drought's impact, domestic crop production in St Ann this year is ahead of last year's figures.

According to Worghs, "Last year this month, we reaped 170.60 hectares and this year the figure is 215.30, which is a 26.2 per cent increase."

He warned, however, that if the dry spell persists for another four weeks, output would be severely affected.