Local producers to benefit from ban on poultry products

The ban imposed on poultry products from the United Kingdom (UK) provides an ease for struggling local poultry producers who the Barbados Agricultural Society(BAS) says are well placed to supply the current market demand.

Chief Executive Officer of the BAS James Paul says while the sector is not gloating over the UK’s misfortune, it paves the way for Barbadians to buy more local chicken to help restore the sector hard hit by reduced sales as a result of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“We do know that the UK happens to be one of the major suppliers of chicken wings and certainly the ban on poultry products coming out of the UK market means that more reliance will have to be put on the local poultry sector, and therefore that market that we have been trying to regain for the local poultry sector is something that we can achieve,” Paul told Barbados TODAY as he voiced his support for the ban.

On Wednesday, the Veterinary Services Unit in the

Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security advised that due to an outbreak of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) H5N8 in the UK, a temporary ban has been placed on the importation of all commercial imports of poultry, hatching eggs and fresh, frozen or chilled poultry products, into Barbados.

In addition, an immediate ban was also enforced on personal imports of live birds, feathers and foods containing poultry products.

However, Senior Veterinary Officer Dr Mark Trotman advised that commercial imports of cooked poultry products from the UK may continue, provided that they are accompanied by an appropriate veterinary export health certificate.

The BAS chief pointed out that the ban was critical to keeping at bay any potential disease which would put the local poultry sector at risk.

“So this ban does not only free up market space for local poultry producers during this time when the economy is depressed, but also safeguards the sector, because bringing in any poultry product from any destination where there is a disease, poses a threat to our local poultry industry,” Paul said.

He stressed that it was therefore important for citizens to comply with the ban, and he urged veterinary authorities to remain on alert.

“So, I am appealing to persons who might be tempted to import poultry products from areas that do have a problem, please desist from doing this, and I would want to encourage the veterinary authorities in the country to continue to do those environmental scans and put in place those measures like the ban to protect our local poultry industry.”

Paul assured that poultry producers were well placed to meet local demand. He said production levels in the poultry sector are about 90 per cent back to pre-COVID levels just in time for the upcoming Christmas season.