22 de julio 07, Banane de Guadeloupe et Martinique

En una comunicación de la prensa, el sindicato de la Asociación de Cultivadores de Plátano de Guadalupe y Martinica anunció que el huracán, se llama Dean, se ha destruido hasta 100% de la producción de plátano. Los daños son variados entre las regiones. En Guadalupe, dos zonas mayores de producción han estado afectadas. En las zonas Montagne de Basse Terre, Robert y Trois Rivières, 100% de la cosecha fue informada perdida. Entre 70 y 80% de la cosecha en Capesterre fue perdida también. Tres asociaciones mayores de cultivadores Banamart, Banalliance y LPG (Les Producteurs de Guadeloupe) ya han empezados las evaluaciones de los daños. Las consecuencias de la tempestad, no solo afectan las plantaciones pero, también, la infraestructura como el embalaje y las facilidades de irrigación. El Ministro del Extranjero, Christian Estrosi, y el Ministro de la Agricultura, Michel Barnier, han estado en contacto con las asociaciones y El gobierno ha anunciado para revisar el procedimiento de declarar un estado de excepción y distribuir ayuda.

Three major grower associations, Banamart, Banalliance and LPG (Les Producteurs de
Guadeloupe) have started evaluations of the damages immediately. The consequences of the storm not only affect plantations, but also infrastructure like packing and irrigation facilities. Overseas secretary of state, Christian Estrosi, and agriculture minister, Michel Barnier, have been in touch with the associations and the government has announced to review the procedure of declaring a state of emergency and issuing aid.

Within the next 2 days, the grower associations hope to quantify the requirements to retake their production on the acreage of 10.000 hectares of banana production present at Guadeloupe and Martinique.


Hurricane destroys Martinique, Guadeloupe bananas
22 August, canada.com

Hurricane Dean has destroyed all of Martinique's banana crop and 80 percent of the plantations in the nearby Caribbean island of Guadeloupe, the head of the banana producers union said on Saturday.

Eric de Lucy, president of the banana producers union for the two French islands, estimated the cost of the damage to be between 100 and 120 million euros ($134.5 to $161.4 million) and said he would be asking the French government for help.  "There are considerable economic consequences for this sector because there is not a single banana plant left standing in Martinique and more than 80 percent of the banana plantations in Guadeloupe are affected," he told France Info radio.

De Lucy said it would take about seven months to start production again and even then it would not be back to normal. "In seven months we won't have the potential of 300,000 tonnes of production from Martinique of Guadeloupe. We will only have about half of that potential," he said.  "Clients in France are very attached to bananas from Guadeloupe and Martinique and during that time we won't be able to provide them."

Christian Estrosi, France's secretary of state for overseas territories, is due to arrive in Martinique on Saturday to assess the damage from the hurricane to Martinique.  Dean trampled Martinique, and other Caribbean islands on Friday as a Category 2 storm, pounding the islands with 100 mph (160 kph) winds and torrential rains that triggered landslides, lifted roofs of houses and knocked out the power.

French television showed acres of flattened banana plants.  De Lucy said there was a risk that some plantation owners would be disheartened and would not want to replant their crops. Around 10,000 people are employed in the banana plantations in Martinique.  He said he would ask the government on Monday for help to get the plantations back to normal.  Estrosi said on Friday that 70 percent of sugar cane plantations in Martinique had also been destroyed in the storm.