26 DECEMBER 2020, ST GEORGE’S: “This week, Belize made its historic entry into poultry exports in the Caricom region by sending its first-ever shipment of chicken meat to Grenada.”

See https://www.breakingbelizenews.com/2020/12/25/belize-makes-historic-first-shipment-of-chickens-to-grenada/

I am frightened by this new development. My response is that we urgently need support to produce affordable poultry for our food security.

The survival of Grenada’s poultry industry businesses is being threatened. Ongoing and new investments in poultry production in this country must be supported to be viable, and to be able to compete with imported products.

The survival of several local businesses is threatened, with feed prices contributing over 60% to the cost of production. Our local poultry farmers already find it difficult to compete with imported poultry. Grenada’s imports over $30 million in poultry products annually.

There needs to be a more supportive environment to make Grenada-grown poultry products more affordable. Then we can produce and consume more local poultry. This stands to provide more jobs in this industry and related sectors, REDUCE our food import bill and foreign exchange leakage. Our poultry industry and farmers must be supported; they are part of our nation’s food security.

As Senator for Agriculture and Fisheries, in my budget presentation, I signalled to the government for us to resolve this matter speedily. The Poultry Policy of 2017 must be given life, by commencing implementation soonest.