Dancehall artiste Capleton fears that Jamaican consumers will be hit with higher prices for agricultural products in the coming weeks after Hurricane Beryl caused devastating damage to farmers on devastated land in the grain belt of St Elizabeth.
“Food is the source of life and without food and water we cannot survive so we are calling on the government to pay more attention to agriculture. We are praying for all farmers and Jamaicans right now,” Capleton said.
“The damage in rural areas is huge, agricultural prices are rising, crops are destroyed, roads are blocked, animals are lost… so relief is needed for the poor. Jamaica is going through difficult times,” he added.
The veteran DJ has been promoting his latest single “Gone Up,” produced by Control Tower Squad. Two weeks after its release, the video for the project has already racked up nearly 30,000 views so far.
“The song is very meaningful and speaks of everyday struggles. The cost of living is constantly rising. It’s a global phenomenon. Look at the protests in Kenya. Since the pandemic, rent, bus fares, school fees, tolls have gone up. I can’t believe how expensive everything is,” said ‘Fireman’.
“The song lets people know it’s not all about snobs, cutting queues and taking pills. Education is key and if mommy and daddy send you to school, make the most of it.”
With Jamaica facing a tough road to recovery from recent hurricanes, Capleton called on government to encourage youth agriculture to enhance future food security.
“The government needs to give or lease land to young people to farm because a country that is not self-sufficient is not a strong country. We should not import so many goods because it makes us vulnerable as a people,” Capleton said.
Extreme weather is one of the main factors leading to price spikes, with major floods regularly destroying crops and killing livestock. Core inflation, which removes all food types and fuel prices (including transportation costs) from the Consumer Price Index (CPI), stood at 5.6% in May 2024, down slightly from the previous month, according to the Bank of Jamaica.
Capleton is known for hits such as “Look Good Chart No. 1,” “No Lotion Man,” “Arumhouse,” “Tour,” “Prophet,” and “Cold Blooded Murder.”
In the mid-1990s he signed with Def Jam Recordings and released the albums Prophecy and I-Testament, and in 2003 he was nominated for a Grammy Award for his album Still Blazin’ on VP Records.
