Seprod boss Richard Pandohie said the company is now accepting milk from farmers whose production was affected by the passage of Hurricane Beryl.
Seprod currently operates the island’s largest dairy operation through its Serge Island Dairies subsidiary, which processes millions of litres of fresh and flavoured milk. It operates a 2,000-acre Serge Island Farm in St. Thomas.
While the dairy farm was impacted by the storm, general damage has been minimal.
“We are thankful that the damage is not what we anticipated it could have been. We have damages nonetheless. Of course, we are without electricity, and the generator can’t carry the entire farm, but we are working harder and we are trying to work with the small farmers,” he said.
“We have reached out to the dairy industry board because many of our small farmers may be having difficulty. We want to see if we can reach out to help them, in terms of if they have milk to be received or any way we can help to support them to get back up,” Pandohie told the Freedom Come Rain.
He said he was also contacted by Jamaica Dairy Development Board (JDDB) Chairman, Dr. Derrick Deslandes, who has asked if Seprod can accept any milk.
“We don’t want farmers dumping milk. I mean, they work really hard, and it is not like we produce a lot of milk to start with,” said Pandohie.
He said the entire farming community has received a harsh blow from Beryl, but he does not believe it is fatal. He is urging those with milk to reach out to the JDDB as soon as possible.
“It is very tough, very difficult for the farming community; my heart feels it for the farmers. I mean, I am in the farming business myself, in the dairy business, and there is so much risk with that industry. You put so much in it, there is so much risk, and you can lose it quickly,” he noted.