Gov’t to import chicken meat

[evanovitch]

Gov’t to import chicken meat
Wednesday, 10 December 2008
The Ministry of Agriculture has announced plans to import chicken parts to supply the expected higher demand for the staple over the Christmas season.

Agriculture Minister Dr. Christopher Tufton told RJR News that the decision to grant permits for the imports was based on data collected from industry members.

He says cheaper alternatives for protein had to be found.

"We have not granted any permits during the course of the year ... it's just now that we're approaching Christmas that we have done it and we've done it for the reason stated earlier, the numbers but secondly, and very importantly, as a response to providing a cheaper form of protein to consumers."

According to Dr. Tufton this is also due to the increasing cost of food.

<span style="font-weight: bold">Chicken farmers cry foul </span>

But poultry farmers are expressing disappointment with the Ministry's decision.

According to Dean Lee, President of the National Poultry Growers Cooperative, chicken farmers have invested in their business in order to meet the expected increased demand.

&quot;It's very discouraging ... unfortunately that's the sentiments of the farmers,&quot;

Mr. Lee is contending that farmers have been complying with the Ministry's push for them to become more productive, hearing that products will be imported is a blow to them.

&quot;Our Agricultural Minister, who we greatly admire, has been trying to encourage us to be more technologically advanced, more aggressive in our farming and having invested over $10 million for single tunnel ventilated poultry house and I have more than one, (the move to import) will make it more challenging when we have new interest rates that we have to be servicing our bank notes with, and production costs have actually been cut,&quot; he said.

[Sinco01]

Re: Gov’t to import chicken meat



<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body">But poultry farmers are <span style="font-weight: bold">expressing disappointment with the Ministry's decision.</span>

According to Dean Lee, President of the National Poultry Growers Cooperative, chicken farmers have <span style="font-weight: bold">invested in their business in order to meet the expected increased demand</span></div></div>


Dr tufton is out of his mind ..
at this late stage ..
source ..
due diligence
contracts ..
shipment ..



maybe for next year ..
surely not for Christmas ..

[Sinco01]

Re: Gov’t to import chicken meat

<span style="font-weight: bold"><span style="color: #CC0000"><span style="font-size: 17pt">Producers rap ministry for importing cheap chicken meat</span></span></span>
By PATRICK FOSTER Observer staff reporter [email protected]
Thursday, December 11, 2008

LOCAL chicken meat producers have come out strongly against the Ministry of Agriculture's decision to allow the importation of cheap chicken parts to satisfy demand during the Christmas season.

<span style="font-weight: bold">The producers contend that there is no shortage of the meat on the market, and complain that the imports will threaten the livelihood of chicken farmers</span>.

The agriculture ministry recently announced plans to import approximately 25 containers of chicken quarters to offset what it said was expected higher demand over the Christmas season.

The ministry's action will ensure cheaper chicken meat alternatives for consumers.

The price of chicken meat has not been reduced locally since the world price of wheat and corn began a downward trend in the latter part of the year and a reduction in the price of chicken parts in the coming year, meat processors say, is also uncertain.

&quot;It takes time for that to come through the system,&quot; Chris Levy, vice-president of Jamaica Broilers (JB) noted yesterday, adding that there were factors negating a reduction in chicken prices in the short term. He said that the exchange rate, now at 80 to one, and the recent increase in interest rate by the Bank of Jamaica did not paint a rosy picture.

Meanwhile, the National Poultry Growers Co-operative Society (NPGCS) urged the ministry to reconsider the granting of the import permits.

&quot;Poultry farmers are of the opinion that the industry has built the productive capacity to meet all of the country's needs for poultry, even during high-demand periods such as Christmas,&quot; NPGCS president Dean Lee said in a statement yesterday evening.

Lee argued that the importation of chicken leg quarters would lead to a reduction in demand for all locally produced animal protein products - pork, beef and mutton.

&quot;Farmers across the entire spectrum are likely, therefore, to feel a negative impact from the importation,&quot; he said. The multiplier effect of the fallouts is also likely to be felt by businesses in communities in which these farmers live.&quot;

Lee added that a determination had to be made whether the chicken industry, a major contributor to Jamaica's Gross Domestic Product - and which is also an important part of ensuring the nation's food security - was worth protecting.

JB, <span style="font-weight: bold">the island's leading chicken meat processor, also supported the view that there is no need to import the meat.
&quot;We have no shortage of chicken. We have very good inventory to take us through the Christmas season</span>,&quot; Levy said. &quot;There is no need to import the meat.&quot;

Levy said that the agriculture ministry had consulted with his company about the importation of chicken meat and were advised that local production was adequate for the season.

&quot;They went ahead (with the importation) anyway,&quot; said Levy.
And Caribbean Broilers (CB Chicken), the island's other leading chicken-meat producer, also supported JB's position that adequate supplies were available in the island.

Dominique Rose, sales manager of CB Chicken, said that her company increased production in anticipation of the higher demand during the season.

&quot;We have met our targets and we do not anticipate a shortage,&quot; Rose declared.

But Agriculture Minister Christopher Tufton told the Observer last evening that the imports were based on numbers supplied by the processors that revealed a huge shortfall - approximately two million kilogrammes - this year against last year's production numbers. He added that the imported chicken parts would attract a 40 per cent duty to allow for local producers to compete while offering an alternative to the consumer. &quot;It is good for the consumer,&quot; said Tufton, adding that the imports would not continue after the Christmas season.

[Sinco01]

Re: Gov’t to import chicken meat


guess they want to sell at their high prices ..
mek as much &quot;food&quot; as dem can ..

no competition ..
low supply ..