The supply of chicken and eggs on the local market is expected to return to normal in four to six weeks, according to the Guyana Poultry Producers Association (GPPA).
This assurance was given yesterday by GPPA board member David Fernandes at a meeting called by Minister of Agriculture Robert Persaud with stakeholders in the poultry industry. The meeting was prompted by concerns over the recent price increases for the commodities.
Fernandes said the increase in price was being driven by a shortfall in the supply of hatching eggs out of the United States, following overproduction there in 2008. He added that it was thought that the effects from the subsequent cutback in production would have been long past but that this was not the case and that local producers had to pay a “significant amount more” for eggs of a poorer quality.
According to Fernandes, the amount of hatching eggs entering the local market has already started having an impact but “hatchability” was still an issue. “Because of sluggish recovery there will be a little bit of drag,” he said. Fernandes, of Bounty Farms, said once the supply recovered there would be saturation in the marketplace, thereby forcing farmers to reduce their prices.
Persaud told those gathered that the price increases were a source of concern for the government and that the Ministry of Tourism, Industry and Commerce had been mandated by Cabinet to see whether there was a need to import supplies and approach persons so interested.
But according to Persaud, importation should only be resorted to in a crisis situation and the local market was not at that point. “As minister of agriculture, I do recognise the need of consumers to have access to safe and affordable chicken and eggs but I also recognise too that the investments made by our farmers and processors … need to be preserved,” he said.
He added that he had instructed his staff to see what assistance could be rendered to the industry because the government was looking at exporting poultry. Persaud named Trinidad and Tobago specifically as one such market and said he had already written his counterpart there about the need to follow up earlier efforts concerning Guyana exporting such products to the twin-island state.
Fernandes also outlined a raft of measures he said would eliminate a possible recurrence of the situation. These included an increase in egg orders by all hatcheries; the signing of long-term contracts to secure eggs by the affected hatcheries; DIDCO’s resumption of hatchery eggs importation; and the use of airfreight instead of ocean freight to improve hatchability and chick quality.
Additionally, he commended Edun Poultry Farm for taking the initiative to order baby chicks for the broiler breeders. According to Fernandes, it “will not be an easy challenge” but he believed they were capable of success.
Also highlighted at the meeting was the government’s intention to shortly bring on stream the semi-autonomous Guyana Live-stock Development Agency. Animal Services Division’s (ASD) Michael Welch said the agency would be focusing on market-driven production systems. This is to be supported by trained personnel and laws and regulations to ensure best standards are met.
