Wildfires on the Corentyne, Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne) have damaged several acres of plantain at Crabwood Creek.
More than 50 farmers cultivate land at Torani Canal, with most investing in plantain and citrus.
On Tuesday, farmers discovered that the dry bush adjacent to where some cultivated fields are, was burning. However, by Wednesday the fire managed to sweep over the canal with the aid of the wind and started burning sections of the cultivated area.
One farmer lost seven acres cultivated with plantain, citrus, and other fruits while another lost five acres. The fire also damaged significant portions of other farms.
Randy Primsoop has a 20-acre plot, on which he cultivates plantain, and citrus: orange, tangerine, lemon, and lime.
Seven acres of his farm have been damaged by fire. He told this publication that on Thursday while trying to pump water he discovered that someone lit a fire on the opposite side of his farm.
“All I see is fire in the bushes and the smoke started affecting me and I had to leave. The fire was opposite side so I said it was no threat to me.”
“It damage my neighbour first and then come to my land and burnt over 7000 bearing plantain suckers. I cut 1000 pounds the said day but now I have lost everything.”
The farmer estimated the damages to the plantain plants to be in excess of $7M, explaining that 7000 plants on the seven acres have so far been burnt.
“As farmers, we always count the least per bunch. We count it as $1000 per bunch – sometimes we would get as much as $4000 or $5000 per bunch. So, if it is 7000 bearing plants that would be $7 million but it would actually be more,” the farmer explained.
He said he also lost about 50 citrus plants which were about to bear.
A section of the farm totalling 2000 feet is under citrus cultivation.
Those citrus plants were purchased in the town of Linden, Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice), and transported to Berbice.
He has been caring for them for more than one year on the farm.
“It was really hard,” he said.
“The heat damaged them and it affected the citrus a lot because the weather is dry – we have not gotten rain for two months. We were pleading for some water and now that fire did more damage to them. We don’t know if they are going to die or if we are going to get them to come back.”
Primsoop told this publication that if they can access water for the citrus plants, they might survive but they cannot access water from the canal and are seeking the intervention of the National Agricultural Research and Extension Institute (NAREI).
As it relates to the plantain plants, the farmer pointed out that they take one year to bear.
“We are looking to see if the Government can assist us. We are not blaming anyone for what happened because we did not see who lit it.”
Primsoop said he has asked the National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (NDIA), which has a machine in the area, to reduce the height of the earthen dam so that he will be able to access water from the canal.
“I did that last week but no response. Another farmer had a little fire, and when he requested the machine it went there right away,” he said.
“If the water was in the land here the fire would not have been able to burn my suckers. There was a lapse so I am asking the Government to please help with getting the excavator to come this way and break down the day because it is very high and the tractor cannot access water with the pump… I would like them to come so we can get back on our feet.”
Bharrat Ramphal and his wife Sandy Samaroo cultivates 15 acres with the same type of crops, and five acres have been burnt.
On Saturday, when this publication visited the fields which are situated five miles into the backdam, there was still fire to a section of the field.
Samara aid about 6000 plantain plants were destroyed, which, using the same method of calculations, would be worth $6M.
“We would like the Government to support us with an excavator so that we can get some water. Everything that you see here is finished, we have to start back from fresh,” the farmer told this publication.
