Poultry producers seeking meeting with gov’t over chicken import plan

The Guyana Poultry Association (GPA) has requested a meeting with the Minister of Business, Dominic Gaskin over the granting of licences by the government for the importation of a large amount of chicken.

Contacted yesterday, David Fernandes, a member of the GPA told Stabroek News that he has “no clue” why the government would grant those licences because there is no shortage of chicken.

Fernandes, who is also the Assistant Managing Director of Bounty Farm Ltd, said “normally the government would ask us in October if there is adequate supplies and we tell them whether there is a shortage and then they make a decision.”

He was surprised that even though the ministry did not make contact with the GPA, it went ahead and granted the licences.

He said the ministry “would have to say why they did that.” The GPA, he said, “Represents all the poultry farms in the country, both layers and broilers.”

Meanwhile, in a release, Member of Parliament and former PPP/C minister of commerce, Irfaan Ali stated that, “The local poultry industry has always had a good working relationship with the Ministry of Business, and has always had an opportunity… to meet and discuss whether there will be adequate supplies of chicken for Christmas.”

“However,” he said, “It seems that there is a change in policy by our new government. Maybe encouraging and defending local businesses and the welfare of Guyanese is no longer a priority.”

According to Ali, the poultry industry “has been an important part of our nation’s efforts of ensuring national food security while at the same time, contributing significantly towards Guyana’s economic development.”

He said too that as the largest non-traditional agricultural industry, there has been an investment of tens of millions of US dollars over the years.

The industry has also provided employment for more than 18,000 people in the rural communities, where there is already an employment problem, he said.

Ali noted too that hundreds of small households supplement their income by rearing broilers and layers in their backyards.

He also said in the release that the industry “provides an important partner for our rice sector, as a large part of poultry feed comprises of rice and its byproducts.”

He said “Guyana has been self-sufficient in both fresh eggs and broiler meat for several years now but is threatened and challenged on an ongoing basis by the smuggling, under invoicing of the weights being imported by persons who have been issued licences…”

Now, Ali said, the industry is facing challenges with the granting of licences for importing chicken without any discussion about the need to import chicken.