Barbados’ largest poultry producer, Chickmont Foods Limited, is set to import 360 000 eggs next month to stave off any shortage during the Christmas period.
President of the Barbados Egg and Poultry Producers Association (BEPPA), Stephen Layne, confirmed the move during the Barbados Agricultural Society’s (BAS) annual general meeting held over the weekend at the Radisson Aquatica Resort, Aquatic Gap, St Michael.
Layne said BEPPA supported Chickmont’s plan to import a 40-foot container of eggs in anticipation of the sharp rise in demand during the festive season and the upcoming tourism winter period, even though an earlier shipment had arrived just two months ago.
“They want to import eggs, a 40-foot container of eggs to assure that there’s no shortfall at Christmas. We’ve already imported eggs two months ago, one 40-foot container, and we’re importing out of Trinidad and Tobago. We prefer that so we can have inter-regional trade,” Layne said.
Given the global concern about bird flu, Layne said the Ministry of Agriculture took the necessary steps to ensure it was possible to import poultry products from T&T.
He also disclosed that four containers of frozen meat had recently been imported to bolster fast-food operations.
“We also imported four containers of poultry meat, but most of that went into the fast food industry, because they weren’t building stock, so they needed that to build stock,” Layne explained.
Despite the need for temporary imports, Layne said he remained confident that domestic production was improving.
However, he maintained that the additional imports were necessary due to both high local consumption and increased demand from the hospitality sector.
“I’m fairly optimistic that coming towards the end of the year, we will have a significant amount of local eggs and poultry meat.
“The eggs that are coming in are for increases in the tourism industry, and the cruise ship industry, and to facilitate the increased activities that Bajans have for Christmas,” Layne said.
“Don’t forget, Chickmont had a collapse with one of their poultry houses that created some shortages, and Star Chick went into serious decline as well. [The industry is] almost fully recovered, but they might still have some shortages at the time of high consumption levels.”
Layne said the upcoming shipment, due in November, should meet national demand through the first quarter of the next year.
Regarding poultry meat, Layne reported that supply appeared stable heading into the festive period.
“It appears to be so. Hopefully, the [main] hatchery will be able to continue with the same level of placements…,” Layne said.
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