‘No shortage of chicken’ – PPP General Secretary

– dismantles opposition’s claims
– Comprehensive policy in place to sustain local poultry industry

General Secretary of the People’s Progressive Party, Dr Bharrat Jagdeo has rejected claims by the opposition of a shortage of chicken in the local market.

Speaking at a press conference held at Freedom House on Thursday, he noted that, based on his research, Guyana produces about 140 million pounds of chicken per annum.

This, Dr Jagdeo said, is more than enough to meet the consumption level, and as a result, companies and businesses that rely on the commodity are booming.

“We eat a lot of chicken in this country. It does good for business, all these places, such as KFC, are booming,” he stated.

The GS added that the industry supports some 18,000 persons who earn a living from production. He said the opposition leader is raising these concerns because the party is being financially supported by an importer.

“Norton wants to take that away from them… to allow imported chicken to come in and kill the livelihood of all these farmers, and the people who are employed in the sector. They want to kill local production because they are getting paid off to make this case,” Dr Jagdeo pointed out.

The GS reiterated that the current administration is implementing a comprehensive policy to protect the industry and promote more local production.

Moreover, he underscored, “This did not happen by chance. We have a comprehensive policy. We have been encouraging the sector. Since we got back into office, we have given access to land for five additional large poultry farms, we are also allowing hatcheries and everything to come in duty-free,”

The agenda saw the removal of Value Added Tax (VAT) on fertilisers, agrochemicals, pesticides, and key inputs in the poultry sector, as well as an application of zero-rated status on the poultry industry.

“It is a comprehensive approach to the industry to generate a local industry. We are trying to break down the phytosanitary barriers across the Caribbean so we can have our poultry products going to those markets that are highly regulated so that we can open up export markets,”he said.