Cassava pies could be in short supply this Christmas after Hurricane Fabian destroyed crops.

Farmers across the island are still counting the cost of storm damage which has forced government to withdraw import embargoes on egg plants, green peppers, jalapeno peppers and tomatoes. But the ban on imported carrots will continue.

Fabian crop damage has also caused the Farmers' Market to postpone its November 1 opening date until further notice.

Percy Powell, of Percy's Farm in Devonshire, said the storm pulled up some of the roots and also took the tops off younger cassava plants.

He predicted it will take another year before the damage is replaced.

He said: "It's a long process. Because the storm pulled up some of the roots we will definitely be a bit short of cassava this Christmas."

Mr. Powell said the storm had cost him around $8,000 in lost business including from destroyed banana, avocado and pear trees. Fabian also damaged a green house.

The situation was similar for farmer Tom Wadson who said 40 percent of his fields were still out of action.

He said he was only half way through clearing all the downed trees.

"We haven't got out of Southampton yet but we still have to do Warwick and Paget.

"It has set us back six months and for six months the cash flow is stuffed and we are still in hurricane season.

"It's absolutely nerve-wracking. I have never been backed this far into a financial corner in my life.

"But no worries, better days are coming."

He said broccoli, cabbage and cauliflower would be back by Christmas.

"But it's still tough out here."

Mr. Wadson suffered massive damage to his banana trees.

"They won't come back properly for eight months but we normally cut bananas every week. The other day we cut eight pounds of bananas when we normally cut 800 to 1,000 pounds. It's a huge set back."

The island's supply of local carrotts has been decimated but Government said there were no plans to remove the embargo on imports which has been in place for years.

Plant protection officer Clare Jessey said it existed to stop the carrot rust fly from reaching the island and attacking carrot plant roots which would necessitate greater use of pesticide to counteract.

She predicted the crop would soon bounce back locally as it was comparatively easy to grow.

Government Agricultural Officer Tommy Sinclair said Fabian had destroyed nearly everything apart from sweet potatoes and pumpkins and said it would be Christmas before agricultural supplies started getting back to normal. But he said lettuce would soon come back into import embargo.

He said farmers had faced huge problems clearing debris before they could begin to deal with shattered crops.