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Testing in progress to ensure better chicken
– Ramsammy
While the standard and quality of locally produced poultry plays a significant role in agricultural development, Minister of Agriculture, Dr. Leslie Ramsammy, says that tests are being conducted to guarantee better-quality locally produced chicken.
Dr. Ramsammy was speaking at a recent press briefing on the activities slated for Caribbean Week of Agriculture, (CWA).
The Minister of Agriculture disclosed that while local farmers have been reaching the local demands for chicken, there are still concerns surrounding the value and quality of the commodity.
Chicken rearing locally
He noted that the local production of chicken has been sufficient to supply the local market but “the size of locally produced birds is much smaller and the birds provide less meat.”
“While the production of chicken has not reduced, the sizes of the birds are much smaller …tests are being conducted to determine a definite cause of the problem.”
As it relates to the issue of cost for chicken, the Minister explained that the current price for chicken is engrossed in the price for corn and other meal products imported to manufacture stockfeed.
“Even as consumers have complained about the cost for chicken, the standard of chicken produced locally, in terms of freshness remains superior to imported chicken. In the region, we grow enough to support table top usage; we don’t need to import corn for food but we import a huge amount of corn for the Stockfeed Industry.
“We are already meeting the poultry demands in Guyana but we can only guarantee a reduction for the price of chicken and other poultry if we can produce our own corn and ingredients to create quality Stockfeed.”
The Minister is hoping to point out to Stakeholders at CWA that the region has the ability to produce enough corn to sustain the poultry/cattle industry and so lower the cost of poultry.
When asked whether there has been alarm in relation to mortality rate of meat birds, Minister Ramsammy said that there have been no complaints about major loss of any livestock.
He explained that while there is a baseline level for mortality rate in livestock, local farmers are advised to report instances of significant loss in poultry to the Guyana Livestock and Development Association (GLDA).
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