Current:Home > MarketsFiona destroyed most of Puerto Rico's plantain crops — a staple for people's diet -Capitatum
Fiona destroyed most of Puerto Rico's plantain crops — a staple for people's diet
View
Date:2025-04-15 22:42:55
Puerto Rico's plantains — a key staple in residents' diets — were among the crops hit so hard by Hurricane Fiona that the island likely won't be able to produce any for the upcoming holiday season.
Ramón González Beiró, the secretary of the Puerto Rico's department of agriculture, announced that the vast majority of fields were lost due to the storm's heavy downpour and will take months to be restored, several Puerto Rican news outlets reported. Banana, papaya and coffee fields were also battered by the storm. He estimated the island's agricultural industry will lose about $100 million.
NPR has reached out to the secretary and will update when we get a comment.
Cities, towns and villages throughout Puerto Rico are assessing the destruction caused by Fiona. Over 800,000 customers still don't have electricity nearly a week after the storm, according to utility companies' reports tracked by PowerOutage.
The role of plantains
Plantains serve as an important starch to many Latino communities. They are cherished for their versatility in cooking and are an essential ingredient to dishes like mofongo and pasteles.
Puerto Rico's agricultural industry was already devastated by Hurricane Maria in 2017. Roughly 80 percent of the island's crop value was lost. Similarly, plantain and banana crops were among the hardest hit.
Ecuador, Guatemala and the Philippines are among the world's largest exporters of plantains. Still, the crop continues to be Puerto Rico's third largest commodity, bringing over $42 million in sales to the island in 2018.
veryGood! (21555)
Related
- Who's hosting 'Saturday Night Live' tonight? Musical guest, how to watch Dec. 14 episode
- Tia Mowry Details Why Her Siblings Are “Not as Accessible” to Each Other
- 'The Princess Diaries 3' prequel is coming, according to Anne Hathaway: 'MIracles happen'
- Aw, shucks: An inside look at the great American corn-maze obsession
- US appeals court rejects Nasdaq’s diversity rules for company boards
- Clint Eastwood's Daughter Morgan Gives Birth, Welcomes First Baby With Tanner Koopmans
- Supreme Court won’t hear appeal from Elon Musk’s X platform over warrant in Trump case
- Could Naturally Occurring Hydrogen Underground Be a Gusher of Clean Energy in Alaska?
- Selena Gomez's "Weird Uncles" Steve Martin and Martin Short React to Her Engagement
- Lakers' Bronny James focusing on 'being a pest on defense' in preseason
Ranking
- Biden administration makes final diplomatic push for stability across a turbulent Mideast
- Ole Miss QB Jaxson Dart responds after South Carolina's gun celebration
- Week 5 fantasy football rankings: PPR, half-PPR and standard leagues
- TikToker Taylor Rousseau Grigg Detailed Health Struggles in One of Her Final Videos Before Her Death
- Travis Hunter, the 2
- Why Teresa Giudice Is Slamming Fake Heiress Anna Delvey
- Erin Foster’s Dad David Foster Has Priceless to Reaction to Her Show Nobody Wants This
- Week 6 college football grades: Temple's tough turnover, Vanderbilt celebration lead way
Recommendation
Opinion: Gianni Infantino, FIFA sell souls and 2034 World Cup for Saudi Arabia's billions
Clint Eastwood's Daughter Morgan Gives Birth, Welcomes First Baby With Tanner Koopmans
Inside Daisy Kelliher and Gary King's Tense BDSY Reunion—And Where They Stand Today
Eviction prevention in Los Angeles helps thousands, including landlords
North Carolina trustees approve Bill Belichick’s deal ahead of introductory news conference
NFL’s Buccaneers relocating ahead of hurricane to practice for Sunday’s game at New Orleans
Verizon says network disruption is resolved; FCC investigating outage
The beautiful crazy of Vanderbilt's upset of Alabama is as unreal as it is unexplainable